The Viasna Human Rights Center, a human rights organization based in Belarus, reported Tuesday that imprisoned Belarusian activist Maryia Kalesnikava resurfaced after more than 18 months without contact. Kalesnikava met her father in the prison hospital.
Kalesnikava a known opposition activist in Belarus, was the head of presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka’s 2020 campaign team. She was arrested in September 2020, resisting an attempt to be thrown into exile. A year later, the Minsk Regional Court sentenced Kalesnikava to 11 years in prison.
According to Viasna, the activist was charged with “calls for action against national security”, “conspiracy to seize power in an unconstitutional manner” and “creation and administration of an extremist formation” under Articles 357 and 361 of the Criminal Code of Belarus. During the 18 months without contact, other prisoners from the same colony reported information on Kalesnikava’s request for medical health. Earlier in 2022 Kalesnikava was operated on for a peptic ulcer and peritonitis, after receiving harsh treatment in her punishment cell.
Kalesnikava received international support during her detention. In 2022, the European Parliament urged the Belarusian government in a joint statement to grant Kalesnikava access to medical aid. The statement mentioned, “Any further deterioration in her health, as a result of her unfair imprisonment and mistreatment, will only deepen the pariah status of Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime”.
As revealed by the Associated Press, the activist is considering requesting authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko a pardon due to her medical situation.
Viasna has reported several human rights violations in Belarus. As of October of this year, Belarus had 1,299 political prisoners. Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects individuals from being arbitrarily arrested or detained. Furthermore, under Article 10 of ICCPR, all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect to their human dignity. Violations of these international human rights standards have sparked fears of crimes against humanity in Belarus among crackdowns on free speech and fair trial.
