The jailed Belarusian Nobel laureate should have been freed in a prisoner swap, supporters say
VILNIUS: Supporters of Belarusian Nobel Peace Laureate Ales Bialiatski say the human rights activist should have been included in Thursday's biggest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War.
Allies of Bialiatski and other imprisoned Belarusians are disappointed that they were not included in the exchange, in which eight Russians, including a convicted murderer, were exchanged for 16 prisoners in prisons in Russia and Belarus, many of them dissidents.
Some of the Russian dissidents released in the exchange, including Ilya Yashin, an opposition activist, on Friday expressed anger or reservations about being deported from their country against their will.
Bialiatski, 61, who is serving a 10-year sentence for funding anti-government protests after a 2023 trial condemned by the US and the European Union as “sham”, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 – a year after what an arrest
“When I heard that the deal was imminent, I hoped that someone from the political prisoners in Belarus would definitely be part of it. First of all, of course, the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner,” said Alena Masliukova, a member of Viasna – the human rights organization founded by Bialiatski.
“It was a total disappointment and I still haven't gotten over it,” said Masliukova, who now lives in exile in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
Among those released in this week's exchange was German national Rico Krieger, who had been sentenced to death on terrorism charges in Belarus, a close ally of Russia where – according to Viasna – 1,390 people are in prison for political reasons – many related to mass protests four. years ago.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has faced major protests after the disputed 2020 presidential election – the biggest challenge to his rule.
He has long denied allegations of human rights abuses.
Viasna says activists are still being dragged before the courts for their role in the protests, and Masliukova said political prisoners face harsh conditions in prison.
“They are kept in cold cells, without contact with their relatives. They leave prison with impaired health,” she said.
Bialiatski voluntarily returned from exile to Belarus in 2021 despite knowing he would likely face arrest, which supporters said meant he might not be willing to leave the country again, a process that legally requires the detainee to ask for forgiveness.
“I know his character and I'm sure he couldn't ask for a pardon from Lukashenko,” said Siarhei Sys, a longtime friend. “I don't know what happens in five years… It all depends on his health.”
