Press release February 26, 2015
Belarus Extends Jail Term of a Political Prisoner
After Belarusian political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok received another year in jail for “malicious repeat violations of prison rules,” Freedom House issued the following statement.
Washington
In response to the sentencing of Belarusian political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok to another year in jail for “malicious repeat violations of prison rules,” Freedom House issued the following statement:
“The bogus charge and unjustified punishment deliberately extend Mikalai Dziadok’s imprisonment on the eve of his scheduled release after four-and-half years imprisonment,” said Susan Corke, director of Eurasia programs. “The Belarusian government clearly doesn’t want to release Dziadok and risk his returning to political activism before the presidential election in November. This is a part of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s blatant effort to suppress dissenting voices and independent civic activity, even as he engages with the United States, the EU and other Western governments.”
Background:
Mikalai Dziadok, 26, was arrested in September 2010 after his participation in a peaceful rally outside the Defense Ministry of Belarus against joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises. Authorities charged him with malicious hooliganism. Dziadok has been recognized as a political prisoner by Belarusian and international human rights organizations due to the political nature of charges and the lack of due process in his trial. His original prison term was set to expire in March 2015.
Belarus is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2015, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2014, Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2014, and receives a democracy score of 6.68 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2014.