Honor the Day of Political Prisoners of Belarus on May 21

Honorable Members of the U.S. Congress,

Belarusian American organizations urge you to make a statement in support of and demand the immediate release of all 1,171 political prisoners in Belarus, in honor of May 21, the Day of the Political Prisoners of Belarus.

The Day of the Political Prisoners of Belarus is a solemn reminder of the pain and suffering Belarusians have endured and continue to endure for their aspirations for democracy, freedom, and basic human rights.

Belarusians around the world started honoring this day just a few years ago, following the tragic death of Vitold Ashurak, a political prisoner and the first person who perished in the custody of the Lukashenka regime following the crackdown on the 2020 mass peaceful protests against the fraudulent presidential election. Vitold, age 50, died in detention under suspect circumstances, and no criminal investigation was opened in his case. Vitold’s death was followed by the deaths of four more political prisoners in prisons and penal colonies, and two more people died soon after being released from prison.

The Lukashenka regime has designed a penal system to instill fear, subdue, and destroy the dignity of any law-abiding citizen suspected by the authorities of being critical of the regime. According to Human Rights Center Viasna, “since 2020, at least 8,234 individuals have been subjected to criminal prosecution on political grounds. Politically motivated sentences were imposed on at least 6,900 people. The courts sentenced at least 33 people to compulsory treatment for political reasons.” 241 people in Belarus were prosecuted for their actions in support of Ukraine.

Who are political prisoners? These are people from all walks of life - workers and farmers, religious figures of all denominations, professors, teachers, artists, scientists, medical professionals, doctors, lawyers, engineers, IT specialists, business people, journalists, writers, and a 2023 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. These individuals are not members of any organized opposition. There are no political parties in Belarus; all have been destroyed. Their only “crime,” in the eyes of the authorities, is standing against dictatorship and striving for freedom.

Even though the Belarusian authorities released more than 200 people in 2024, the number of political prisoners in Belarus remains high due to the constant influx of new political prisoners, as the regime continues the practice of widespread arrests on politically motivated charges. Over 50 known politically motivated cases were recorded in April of 2025 alone.

The Lukashenka regime’s treatment of political prisoners is based on systematic psychological and physical cruelty, torture, humiliation, and an outright disregard for human life. Belarusian political prisoners who left Belarus after completing their prison sentences recount horror stories about their traumatic experiences in the Lukashenka regime’s penal system. Women are subject to deprivation, humiliation, and cruelty specifically targeting their gender and role as mothers, and no compassion is shown to sick or disabled people.

Many political prisoners are denied basic medical care, visits from relatives, and letters. Many prominent political prisoners, such as Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Ihar Losik, and Mikola Statkevich, are held incommunicado - in complete isolation from the outside world. It has been 830 days since the last communication with Mikola Statkevich, 68 years of age, sentenced by the regime to 14 years in maximum security prison.

The situation with political prisoners and repression in Belarus remains dangerous, with a risk of further escalation as the regime intensifies its crackdown on dissent. New arrests continue regularly, and those already imprisoned face deteriorating conditions, including torture, incommunicado detention, and denial of medical care. Without sustained international pressure and clear consequences for these ongoing human rights violations, the number of victims is likely to grow, and the regime will feel increasingly emboldened to silence any remaining voices of resistance.

We call on you today to express your solidarity with political prisoners in Belarus and demand the unconditional release of all political prisoners and an end to political persecution. We ask you to maintain political and economic pressure to send a powerful message to the Lukashenka regime in Minsk, to the political prisoners languishing in isolation, and to all Belarusians who continue to fight for their freedom at great personal risk. On this Day of the Political Prisoners in Belarus, let us affirm that the world is watching, and that the United States stands firmly on the side of human rights, dignity, and democracy.

Belarus Freedom Forum
Belarusian American Association (BAZA)
Belarusians in Chicago
Belarusians of Charlotte, NC
Seattle Belarusians
Belarusians of Boston and New England
Association of Belarusians in America (ABA)