Joint statement by the human rights community of Belarus
As it became known, on September 3, 2025, 36-year-old political prisoner Andrej Padniabienny died in penal colony No. 15 in Mahilioŭ. According to media reports, the cause of death was asphyxiation. The Belarusian human rights community expresses its deep condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of Andrej Padniabienny in connection with his death.
Andrej Padniabienny, who held Russian citizenship but lived in Belarus since the age of six, was twice convicted behind closed doors under several so-called “extremist” articles of the Criminal Code, which the Belarusian authorities use to persecute political opponents and dissidents. He was sentenced to 16 years and eight months of imprisonment and a heavy fine.
At the moment, there has been no reliable investigation of the circumstances of Andrej Padniabienny’s death. However, according to preliminary information, he was subjected to ill-treatment at the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The death of Andrei Padniabenny is the ninth death of a political prisoner in the facilities of the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the last five years. Thus:
- In May 2021, political prisoner Vitold Ashurak died in penal colony No. 17 in Škloŭ, Mahilioŭ region;
- In May 2023, political prisoner Mikalai Klimovich died in the Vitsba penal colony;
- In July 2023, artist Ales Pushkin died in the Hrodna emergency hospital. He was brought to the hospital from prison No. 1 in Hrodna;
- In January 2024, political prisoner Vadzim Khrasko died in the Vitsba penal colony;
- In February 2024, political prisoner Ihar Lednik died in a prison hospital. He was taken to the hospital from penal colony No. 2 in Babrujsk;
- On April 9, 2024, Aliaksandr Kulinich died in the Brest pre-trial detention center. He was charged under Article 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting Lukashenka);
- On October 11, 2024, Dzmitry Shlethauer, a citizen of the Russian Federation, died in Mahilioŭ penal colony No. 15;
- In early 2025, political prisoner Valiantsin Shtermer, who served time in Škloŭ penal colony No. 17, died.
In connection with the latest death of a person imprisoned in Belarus, we remind the Belarusian authorities of their international human rights obligations. Thus, Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights establishes that the right to life is an inherent right of every human being. In its General Comment No. 36 (Article 6: right to life), the Human Rights Committee emphasized that “the right to life has crucial importance both for individuals and for society as a whole. It is most precious for its own sake as a right that inheres in every human being, but it also constitutes a fundamental right, the effective protection of which is the prerequisite for the enjoyment of all other human rights.” The Committee also noted that “the right to life is a right that should not be interpreted narrowly.” It concerns “the entitlement of individuals to be free from acts and omissions that are intended or may be expected to cause their unnatural or premature death. Article 6 of the Covenant guarantees this right for all human beings, without distinction of any kind, including for persons suspected or convicted of even the most serious crimes.”
It is important to emphasize that keeping a person in isolation imposes special obligations on the State. In this regard, we recall the instruction of the Human Rights Committee in note No. 36, “States parties have an increased obligation to take any necessary measures to protect the lives of persons deprived of their liberty by the State, since by subjecting persons to arrest, detention, imprisonment, or otherwise depriving them of their liberty, States parties assume responsibility for taking care of their lives and physical integrity, while they cannot cite lack of financial resources or other logistical problems to reduce such responsibility. The duty to protect the lives of all detainees includes providing them with the necessary medical care and appropriate regular check-ups.”
Every day, thousands of prisoners and detainees suffer violations of their fundamental rights to life and health, and the freedom not to be subjected to all types of prohibited treatment, which are guaranteed both by the State’s international obligations and by the Constitution.
Of particular concern is the detention of political prisoners in conditions of complete or partial isolation from the outside world, which is a gross violation of human rights. Additionally, the lack of access to proper legal representation and family members makes the situation even more critical, threatening not only the physical but also the psychological well-being of prisoners. This system of coercion and control is becoming a source of serious concern for both the Belarusian civil society and the international community. It requires immediate action to remedy human rights violations.
Once again, we have to state that the Republic of Belarus does not fulfill its obligations to observe the right to life in this part. The right to life is not properly protected by law and is not ensured in practice, which regularly leads to tragedies.
The practice of arbitrary detention aggravates the situation. In addition to the general disregard for necessity and proportionality in sentencing, judges often do not take into account the state of health of the accused. They impose serious sanctions related to imprisonment for the actions that essentially represent the realization of human rights or minor offenses. As a result, people from vulnerable groups also end up in places of forced detention, for whom forced isolation or imprisonment is even more difficult than for others.
The Belarusian authorities must realize that such cases of deaths of political prisoners only confirm the assessments expressed by human rights defenders regarding the observance of human rights and the loss of signs of the rule of law in Belarus. The authorities must recognize that arbitrary imprisonment and persecution for expressing political beliefs run counter to the basic principles of democracy and the legal order.
Insufficient attention to these problems and the lack of concrete actions to address them only deepen the human rights crisis in the country and worsen its international reputation. Each new death of a political prisoner in Belarusian prisons only highlights the need for urgent and concrete measures on the part of the authorities to remedy the situation. As well as the need for the maximum possible diplomatic efforts on the part of the international community aimed at freeing people imprisoned in Belarus for political reasons.
We continue to emphasize that every death of a political prisoner behind bars is the result of a systemic State policy of inhumane treatment of people based on political motives.
Based on the above, once again emphasizing the importance of ensuring the human right to life and health, we, representatives of the Belarusian human rights community, demand from the Belarusian authorities:
- from the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Belarus and the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus: to initiate a criminal case on the death of Andrei Padniabenny, conduct an objective and comprehensive investigation to establish the causes of this tragedy, and inform the public about its results;
- to inform the public about the results of the investigation into the deaths of other political prisoners in Belarusian prisons;
- to provide proper medical and psychological care in places of forced detention;
- from the employees of penitentiary institutions and other state institutions engaged in forced isolation (temporary detention facilities, centers for isolation of offenders, pre-trial detention centres, etc.) and their administration: to comply with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and international obligations to ensure the protection of life and health of persons deprived of liberty and kept in isolation.
These demands do not negate the statement of the Belarusian human rights community regarding the inadmissibility of persecuting citizens for exercising their civil and political rights and the immediate release and review of criminal cases of all political prisoners in Belarus.
The Belarusian authorities must strictly comply with international human rights obligations, which include ensuring the independence of the courts, protecting freedom of speech and opinion, as well as guaranteeing fair trials for all citizens, regardless of their political beliefs or social status, and carrying out serious reforms of the justice system and correctional institutions.
Human Rights Center Viasna
Belarusian Helsinki Committee
PEN Belarus
Legal initiative
Belarusian Human Rights House.