{"id":102355,"date":"2024-08-28T00:52:20","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T21:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/102355\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"belarus-un-envoy-says-unaware-of-disabled-political-prisoner-deaths","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/102355\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus’ UN envoy says unaware of disabled political prisoner deaths"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Screenshot (Viasna)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 28, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Disabled people did not participate in the 2020 post-election protests en masse, said \u0141arysa Bielskaja, Belarus’ permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, dodging a question from a UN expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, the Viasna Human Rights Center shared excerpts of Bielskaja’s speech to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A committee expert, Amalia Gamio Rios, asked the diplomat whether Belarus investigated the deaths of two disabled political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bielskaja refused to comment, asserting that she was not aware of any prisoners dying specifically because of their disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said the unrest was partially inspired from abroad and blamed critics of the official election results for trying to spark “riots” instead of using legal procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added that the Investigative Committee looked into complaints on the alleged prisoner rights violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In turn, Belskaja’s deputy Ina Vasile\u016dskaja said Belarus imprisoned disabled people accordingly. Officials took measures to ensure decent detention conditions in line with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ regulations, Vasile\u016dskaja claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 20, designated political prisoner Ihar Lednik, a Group II disabled with heart problems, died in a Minsk district hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mika\u0142aj Klimovi\u010d, a Group II disabled, died in a Vi\u0107ba penal colony in May 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six political prisoners died in Belarusian prisons in 2022\u20132024, including Vadzim Chra\u015bko, Vitold A\u0161urak, Ale\u015b Pu\u0161kin and Alaksandar Kulini\u010d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, several times a year, human rights activists receive reports of the deaths of non-political convicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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