{"id":94202,"date":"2024-07-06T01:23:33","date_gmt":"2024-07-05T22:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94202\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"viasna-lawyer-unimpressed-by-number-of-released-political-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94202\/","title":{"rendered":"Viasna lawyer unimpressed by number of released political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 6, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Human rights defenders welcome the release of people who were separated from their families and subjected to prohibited treatment, said Pavie\u0142 Sapie\u0142ka of the Viasna Human Rights Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the number of released political prisoners does not give grounds for optimism, especially if the release is a one-time action connected to Independence Day celebrations, he said. Although it is a positive development, it does not show serious or strategic changes in the human rights situation in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sapie\u0142ka explained that a genuine process of civil consensus requires at least an end to politically-motivated repression, especially the criminal prosecution of dissidents and opponents of the regime. It also requires a broad and rapid process of releasing political prisoners, using all available criminal justice tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the human rights lawyer, while some of the freed people are seriously ill, the release of others is not, which led him to conclude that the efforts by human rights and opposition groups have paid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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