We remember 16 people who died in protests and in prisons of Belarus
Aliaksandr Taraikouski minutes before his death / Euroradio / Еўрарадыё
On the day of Raman Bandarenka's death, "Legal Initiative" published a report on 16 Belarusians who died during the mass protests in 2020 or after them - in prison. No one has been held accountable for these deaths.
Only one criminal case was opened - after the death of Bandarenka on November 12, 2020. It is currently suspended "due to the impossibility of establishing the identity of the person involved in the crime". Although journalists have long since identified the participants in the murder with a high degree of probability.
Here are the names of the dead protesters:
1. Aliaksandr Taraikouski
2. Andrei Zeltser
3. Henadz Shutau
4. Dzmitry Stakhouski
5. Kanstantsin Shyshmakou
6. Mikita Kryutsou
7. Raman Bandarenka
8. Uladzimir Krysionak
Each has his or her own story. Aliaksandr Taraikouski and Henadz Shutau were shot by law enforcement officials. Mikita Kryutsou was found hanged in a forest on the outskirts of Minsk. Dzmitry Stakhouski threw himself from the 16th floor of the hostel - he was pressured by the Investigative Committee.
Here are the names of political prisoners who died in prison after 2020:
1. Aliaksandr Vikhor
2. Vitold Ashurak
3. Dzmitry Dudoits
4. Alena Amelina
5. Siarhey Shchatsinka
6. Mikalai Klimovich
7. Ales Pushkin
8. Dzmitry Sarokin
During the 2020 election campaign, the human rights situation in Belarus deteriorated sharply. The authorities responded to the nomination of popular candidates and protests against their detention and vote counting with mass repression. Tens of thousands of Belarusian citizens ended up in prisons.
Human rights activists note that Lukashenka's regime has not taken any measures to protect the right to life of the citizens whose names are mentioned above, and its actions should be assessed from the point of view of international criminal law. In other words, the state does not fulfill the functions of protection of human rights, which are entrusted to it by international obligations, the Constitution of Belarus and norms of national law.
