On March 25, 1918, the Third Statute of the Belarusian People’s Republic was adopted in Minsk, marking the birth of independent Belarus. Since then, Belarusians across the globe commemorate March 25 as Freedom Day, which is the expression of the unity of Belarusian people in their striving for independence and democracy, self-determination and national identity, civil consent, and freedom.
Even though nowadays Belarus is an independent state, the Belarusian people are by no means free as they are deprived of the right to the simplest freedoms prescribed by the country’s Constitution: freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of thoughts and beliefs, freedom of creativity and the right to vote.
Over 30 000 people were detained from the beginning of protests in August, many of them are still under detention. As of today, 298 persons were recognized as political prisoners and this number continues to grow.
48 members of the EHU community, including students and graduates, were detained after the 2020 Presidential elections in Belarus. Still, five students and alumni of EHU remain imprisoned:
- Maryia (Marfa) Rabkova, a political prisoner, EHU 3rd-year student was detained in Minsk on September 17, 2020, and will be kept under arrest at least till June 17. Maryia faces up to 12 years in prison. You can support Marfa by sending her a letter to the following address: The Minsk Detention Center No. 1, Valadarskaha vul. 2, 220030 Minsk, Belarus;
- Akihiro Gaevski-Hanada, a political prisoner, EHU 2nd-year student was detained on August 12, 2020. It is known that he was severely beaten after his arrest. You can support Akihiro by sending him a letter to the following address: The Minsk Detention Center No. 1, Valadarskaha vul. 2, 220030 Minsk, Belarus;
- Mikalai Dziadok, a political prisoner, EHU alumnus (Class 2019) was detained on November 12, 2020. While being in custody, Mikalai’s health deteriorated greatly, he is constantly being transferred from one cell to another. Mikalai faces up to 3 years in prison. You can support Mikalai by sending him a letter to the following address: The Minsk Detention Center No. 1, Valadarskaha vul. 2, 220030 Minsk, Belarus;
- Wlodzimierz Malachowski, a political prisoner, EHU alumnus (Class 2013), was detained in Vitebsk on September 13, 2020. On March 1, Wlodzimierz was sentenced to 3,5 years in prison and a fine for alleged violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies. You can support Wlodzimierz by sending him a letter to the following address: Pretrial detention center No. 2, Gagarina vul. 2, 210026 Vitebsk, Belarus;
- Ihar Barysau, EHU alumnus (Class 2008), the leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) was detained in Minsk on March 21 in front of his wife and four-year-old child, next day he was sentenced for 15 days of imprisonment. Earlier this month BSDP was one of three organizations that signed and submitted an application to hold a march and a concert on Freedom Day to Minsk municipal authorities. You can support Ihar by sending him a letter to the following address: Okrestina Detention Centre, 1-y zav. Akrescina, 36, 220089 Minsk, Belarus.
EHU reiterates its demand to Belarusian authorities to release all unjustly detained and convicted Belarusians, to comply with the norms of the Constitution of Belarus and its international obligations in regards to the rule of law and respect to civil rights and freedoms.
We call on the international community, partners, supporters, and donors of EHU to contribute to the restoration of the foundations of law, respect for human rights in Belarus; to support the victims of repressions by the authorities, and do everything possible to overcome the political crisis in the country.
EHU stands decisively against the state-sponsored impunity, systematic denial of fundamental freedoms, arbitrary arrests and detentions, violence in any form against protesters, intimidation targeting opposition members, journalists, and human rights defenders in Belarus and across the globe.
