Humanitarian Ambilance Sevice makes a statement on the topic of the release of Belarusian political prisoners

As human rights defenders and experts working with victims of administrative and criminal political persecution, we want to state some facts

The Humanitarian Ambulance Service makes a statement on the topic of the release of Belarusian political prisoners.

Today, we see that the issue of our political prisoners is being raised in the context of certain discussions by politicians and human rights defenders.

According to human rights defenders, at least 1,049 people were detained in criminal cases from 1 January 2024 to 1 August 2024. During this period, no less than 1,050 criminal cases were considered in Belarusian courts, the participants of which are persecuted by the Belarusian authorities for political reasons. In addition, in 2024 Belarusian society witnessed three deaths in prisons: Vadim Hrasko, Ihar Lednik and Aliaksander Kulinich. Since 2020, six people have died in prison. At least 7 people are in "incommunicado" regime ^{a term that characterises the stay of a convicted person without the right to correspond and meet with relatives and defenders}. Moreover, the persecution of those who have been granted amnesty continues and the conditions under which they serve their sentences are becoming increasingly difficult. Yes, at least 45 prisoners have been sentenced under Art. 411 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus for "malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration"; some of them have already been sentenced twice, and Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk and Victoria Kulsha have been arrested for the third time under this article. 81 political prisoners have been transferred to the "prison regime".

Recently, we often hear the slogan "we must free people at any cost". As human rights defenders and experts working with victims of administrative and criminal political persecution, we would like to draw your attention to the following facts:

1. According to the HRC "Viasna", BHC (document "Main trends of state policy. January-April 2024"), as well as the information reflected in the UN report on the situation with human rights in Belarus, repressive practices not only do not stop, which could indicate an improvement of the situation or preparation for negotiation processes, but on the contrary, they continue in the direction of suppression of society.
2. The possibility of a broad interpretation "at any price". The cost can be questionable proposals, both from a legal and ethical point of view. For example, the former Polish Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Mariusz Kaminski, said in an interview that when Poland demanded the release of Andrej Pachobut, the Lukashenka regime made a counter-offer: the extradition of Paval Latushka.
   
   This means that speakers have to be very careful in your statements and take into account the limits of those actions that will really help in the issue of liberation and at the same time not to erase the principles of democracy and respect for human rights in the implementation of such actions.
   
   

3. Ability to "turn the page". Lukashenka's regime is in urgent need of legitimisation, preferably without any changes in society, i.e. today the regime has no plans to stop hunting down dissidents, torturing people and disregarding the law as a phenomenon. We could observe similar processes in 2006 and 2010, so we can make predictions.

   That is why we, as human rights defenders, understand that only the cessation of repression and torture, the abolition of " incommunicado " and other criminal practices can indicate the possibility of systemic changes in the country in the future. This must be the primary issue that can {probably} guarantee the beginning of the restoration of human rights. Maintaining the current situation in Belarus guarantees the continuation of the collapse of human rights in the country, consolidates the practice of terror against people disloyal to the regime and envelops our country in an unknown duration of lawlessness.
   
   

4. The possibility of manipulation through the humanistic thesis that "everyone's life is priceless". It is difficult to argue with this thesis, because its emotionality and the very fact that it is true is disarming. But we would like to point out that using only emotional theses is propaganda.
   Unlike the objective presentation of information, propaganda provides information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often provides information selectively to encourage certain generalisations, using emotionally charged messages to provoke an emotional rather than a rational response to the information presented.
   
   Investigations by independent media (both the Nasha Niva material and the Euroradio material) show that this information is often untrue. 
   
   We thus argue that the dissemination of an emotive, unconditionally true and self-controversial thesis can be used manipulatively to shape attitudes towards the question of negotiations with the regime. At the same time, it fails to take into account the above-mentioned context and previous experience.

We are united in the goal of resisting Lukashenka's propaganda by protecting human rights and supporting all victims of the regime. We see the need for this:

1. Continue our work. All human rights, humanitarian, civil and political structures are doing great work to protect the rights of victims of the Belarusian regime and democratic values as effectively as possible.
   
   
2. Be accurate in statements and adhere to the Principles for Human Rights Defenders. This means being honest and professional and using only complete, true and verified information. Members of civil society can use the expertise of human rights organisations in developing their strategies. We all want to see those behind bars today released, but we are all responsible for our actions and their consequences.
   
   
3. Work for systemic changes in society. Only on the basis of facts and figures related to the repression in Belarus and the human rights situation can we build schemes for systemic positive changes in the country. This means that we all have to see the changes for the society in perspective and try not to create a dangerous system where certain actions of the regime become an instrument of endless pressure on Western countries and further violation of people's rights in Belarus.