
Belarus: UN Experts Call For Investigations Into Deaths In Custody
'Over the past four years, several individuals identified by human rights defenders as political prisoners have died in custody or shortly after being released,' the experts said.
They stressed that these deaths occurred amid consistent reports of ill-treatment of individuals deprived of liberty for expressing disagreement with the authorities, including participants in protests surrounding the 2020 presidential elections. 'Where an individual dies in custody, the presumption of their arbitrary deprivation of life can only be rebutted on the basis of a proper investigation,' the experts said.
In late May, widespread reports emerged that Valiantsin Shtermer, a 61-year-old businessman, had died in Correctional Colony No. 17 in Šklou. He had been convicted for making critical comments about the Russian Federation's military invasion of Ukraine. Despite his serious medical condition, he was reportedly mistreated by the prison administration and denied proper medical care.
Four years ago, in May 2021, 50-year-old opposition activist and Belarusian National Front party member Vitold Ashurak died in suspicious circumstances in the same colony shortly after being transferred there and placed in a punishment isolation cell (SHIZO). He had been convicted for violating public order.
On 16 June 2025, the experts wrote to the Belarusian authorities to express their concerns about possible grave human rights violations surrounding these two deaths. They recalled that, in 2023, they had written to the Government about the death of the artist Alés Puškin while he was serving a sentence in the prison no. 1 in Hrodna – reportedly after being denied timely medical care. They have not received a response to that letter, which requested an investigation into Puškin's death.
'It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly investigate the alleged instances of ill-treatment and neglect that resulted in the deaths of Shtermer, Ashurak, Puškin and other persons designated as political prisoners by human rights defenders,' the experts said. 'There are strong reasons to believe that these individuals lost their lives in retaliation for exercising their civil and political rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.'
'We are also concerned that some of these individuals have been stigmatised by the authorities as 'extremists' or 'terrorists',' the experts said, recalling that they had repeatedly called on Belarus to bring its counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legal framework in line with its international human rights law obligations.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NZ Herald
28 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
Integrated schools get $30m for new classrooms
Education Minister said the investment would retain choice in the education system. Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Already a subscriber? Sign in here Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen. Integrated schools get $30m for new classrooms Education Minister said the investment would retain choice in the education system. The Government hopes as many as 1250 new student places in state-integrated schools will be enabled by a $30 million investment package to build more classrooms. Education Minister Erica Stanford said rolls were growing at state-integrated schools and the funding would help them keep up. Integrated schools are former private schools that are integrated into the state school network, while retaining characteristics of their former, private model. Most of the countries more than 300 integrated schools are Catholic. Stanford said the investment would retain choice in the education system. 'State-integrated schools are an important part of our education system.


NZ Herald
an hour ago
- NZ Herald
Attracting overseas investment: A step forward, but not far enough
The Government's Overseas Investment (Amendment) Bill is more good than bad, writes Bryce Wilkinson. THE FACTS The Government's Overseas Investment (Amendment) Bill is more good than bad. It is more welcoming of incoming overseas investment. That is good for several reasons. First, billions of dollars need to be invested in infrastructure.


Scoop
an hour ago
- Scoop
People Need Opportunities Not Punishment To Find Jobs
The Green Party is calling on the Government to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to helping people into jobs following a new report, 'The Pipeline of Potential', that highlights how people out of work need opportunities, not punishment, to find employment. 'Instead of punishing people for being unemployed when there is no work, we can build a workforce with good jobs that support the common good,' says the Green Party's spokesperson for Workforce Planning, Ricardo Menéndez March. 'New Zealanders should be in control of our economy, our jobs and our future. We can create the jobs we need and do the kind of work that helps us build an Aotearoa we can be proud of. 'Today's report makes clear that the punitive approach that this Government is taking to get people into work is not effective. We cannot punish people into work when there are no jobs. 'We need to take a more hands-on approach when it comes to our economy and the organisation of our workforce. We can give people meaningful jobs that help us confront some of our biggest challenges instead of punishing people without work and any real opportunities. 'We have a plan to provide people with meaningful work. Our Green Jobs Guarantee will deliver an initial 40,000 jobs to rebuild our infrastructure, restore nature and build homes for people to live in. 'Our Future Workforce Agency, Mahi Anamata, will actively plan for the skills we need. We'll revitalise and supercharge the roaring success of Jobs for Nature, and we'll ensure everyone in this country who wants a good, decent, living-wage paying job will get one,' says Ricardo Menéndez March.