Tallinn, Estonia (AP) – many political prisoners, pardoned by the authoritarian leader of Belarus, sat by bus, waiting to cross the border with Lithuania last month, in minutes from freedom. Suddenly, one of them got up, forced the door to open and went out, defiantly refusing to leave his homeland in what he called as a forced deportation.
After this incident on September 11, Mikalay Statkevich was not seen. Human rights activists demand that the Belarusian authorities reveal what happened to the 69-year-old opposition politician and former presidential candidate.
Statkevich was one of the 52 political prisoners pardoned by President Alexander Lukashenko as part of a transaction dedicated to the United States.
Comrade, who was sent by Maxim Viniarsky, who traveled with him on the bus, said to the Associated Press that “Stakekevich looked decisive – ready to battle not only for himself, but also for the freedom of all Belarusian.”
When the exhausted stakevich escaped from the bus, he left behind the critically necessary heart medicines by bus, which continued in Lithuania.
“Statekvich violated Lukashenko’s script and proved that even a patient … You can still resist the dictatorship and lawlessness,” said Viniarsky. “He clearly understood the price of his choice. He told me: “I will not allow myself to sell or someone decides where I live – and where I am dying.”
Security forces saw how he took him
For several hours, Statkevich remained on the outsider “no man” on the border of Kamenni Loch until the surveillance cameras recorded six security forces in Maski, accompanying him back to Belarus.
Later Lukashenko said that Statkevich returned to Belarus – “in the end, he is our citizen” – but he would not clarify.
The actions of Stakevich repeated the actions of Maria Kolesnikov, the leader of mass demonstrations after the contested elections in 2020, which held Lukashenko in power. She became a symbol of resistance, tearing her passport on the border and returning back to Belarus when the authorities tried to deport it this year. In 2021, she was convicted of charges, including “Conspiracy to seize power” and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
After Stakekvich’s disappearance, his wife Marin Adamovich returned to Belarus from a trip abroad and visited the prison colony in Khlibokai, where he was previously, but the officials refused to confirm whether he was there. She did not receive an answer from the authorities about his condition and location.
“Violence continues. An attempt to deport Mikalai, given his character, was a meaningless undertaking, ”she said, adding that he told her:“ They deport the patriots. I won't go. What will happen to the country? “
Amovich is afraid for his health, noting that Stakevich had a heart attack in prison, but “neither illness, nor years of solitary imprisonment broke his will.”
Protests about his deportation attempts
Pavel Sapelka from the Viasna human rights group stated that it was unclear whether the authorities filed new accusations against Stakevich to keep him in custody, even if he was pardoned by Lukashenko.
The United Nations experts protested against what they described as an attempt by Stakevich in an attempt to deport, and demanded information about his whereabouts.
“There are good reason to believe that Statkevich is a victim of violent disappearance and arbitrary detention,” experts said, the UN Human Rights said. “We urge Belarus to provide information about his fate and whereabouts, as well as his state of health.”
Lukashenko’s decision to have mercy on 52 prisoners followed the telephone in August with US President Donald Trump, which caused an assumption of possible thawing in relations. The release was part of a deal dedicated to the United States, which weakened sanctions against the national carriers of Belavia, including the resumption of spare parts and aircraft service.
Trading political prisoners such as goods “
“Lukashenko sells political prisoners such as goods, freeing some and consists in the fact that in their place is the leader of the opposition of Svutlan Chikhanuskia. “I respect the fundamental decision and the choice of Stakkshevich to stay in the country, but this emphasizes the problem – the Belarusian political prisoners are not released, but are forcibly deported to other countries against their will.”
Lukashenko was nicknamed “The Last Dictator of Europe”, more than three decades managed Belarus, supporting his power in the elections, dismissed by the West, either free, nor honest and cruel repressions for disagreement. After the protests in 2020, in which hundreds of thousands went out onto the streets, more than 65,000 people were arrested, thousands were beaten, and hundreds of independent media and non -governmental organizations were closed and prohibited.
According to Viasn, about 1,200 political prisoners, including its founder, Laureate of the Nobel Prize of the World, Als Bialiat, remain in custody. Activists say that they are kept in harsh conditions and often refuse medical care, legal representation and family contact.
Belarus was repeatedly authorized by Western countries for violations of human rights and for Russia used its territory to invade Ukraine in 2022.
Statkevich was arrested before the election of 2020, convicted of charges of organizing riots and sentenced to 14 years in prison. In 2022, the authorities called him an “extremist” – the term used against government critics. From February 9, 2023, he kept in complete isolation without contact with the outside world.
Over his decades of political activity, Stakevich was imprisoned three times and spent more than 12 years behind bars. Amnesty International recognized him three times as a prisoner conscience.
Statkevich is the country's long-term opposition policy and the founder of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, which is associated with the socialist international.
Earlier in his life, Statkevich continued his military career and was associated with the formation of the Belarusian army after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 1999, he helped organize the mass “march of freedom”, opposing the proposed Belarusian of the Union with Russia. To organize another opposition, a rally protesting against the results of the parliamentary elections in 2004 and a referendum, allowing Lukashenko to seek another term, Statkevich was sentenced to three years of limited freedom.
In the 2010 presidential election, he ran against Lukashenko and spent almost five years of prison. He was one of the Belarusian opposition leaders, awarded the Prize of the European Parliament for freedom of thought.
“Statkevich illustrates the stability and courage of a politician forced to work under dictatorship,” said Viniarian. “Statkevich confirmed that our values are worth what we are ready to pay for them.”
