Human Rights Day - December 10
Systemic Violation of the Rights of Women Political Prisoners
in Belarus
On International Human Rights Day, it is necessary to draw attention to the plight of women prisoners in Belarus. Political repression against women has become extremely brutal: humiliation, lack of medical care, threats, deprivation of contact with family. These actions violate numerous international obligations of Belarus, including the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and other documents.
Pressure tools: isolation and deprivation
Belarus actively applies pressure measures against female prisoners. Threats of sexualized violence, deprivation of hygiene products and minimal living conditions are part of the systemic policy.
For example, activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk faced ongoing repression: she was deprived of her personal belongings, humiliated and isolated. This violates Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits cruel and degrading treatment. The ICCPR guarantees the right to protection from torture and cruel treatment, which is not observed in this context.
Other evidence confirms that women are threatened with being denied access to their loved ones or support persons. For example, in one case a woman was denied access to a lawyer, which is a direct violation of the Nelson Mandela Rules and Article 14 of the ICCPR, which guarantees the right to counsel. The Nelson Mandela Rules concern minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, including the right to private consultation with a lawyer.
Medical care: systematic violations
One of the key problems is the denial of medical care. Political prisoners report chronic neglect of their health. For example, one prisoner complained of being in a serious condition after repeated torture, but was denied medical care, including access to psychological rehabilitation.
These actions directly contradict Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees the right to health, as well as the recommendations of the Committee against Torture. The ICESCR states that states are obliged to provide medical care to prisoners.
Mothers and Children: Pressure Through the Family
Mothers remain a particularly vulnerable category. Belarusian authorities use intimidation through threats to deprive parents of parental rights. Women report that their children are intimidated in schools and kindergartens, which becomes an additional tool of pressure.
Such actions violate the UN Guiding Principles on Alternatives to Deprivation of Liberty for Women (the Bangkok Rules), which emphasize the need to protect mothers and children in the justice context. The Bangkok Rules were adopted to improve the treatment of women in the criminal justice system and to minimize the negative impact of imprisonment on women and their children.
Torture and sexualized violence
Evidence indicates that women in detention are not only subjected to physical violence but also psychological torture. One example is the case of a prisoner who was repeatedly humiliated and threatened with sexual violence in front of other prisoners. This demonstrates a systemic disregard for Article 2 of the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT), which prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The situation of women prisoners in Belarus demonstrates gross violations of international law. These actions undermine the principles of humanity and equality enshrined in the ICCPR, the UN Convention against Torture, CEDAW and other documents.
The role of the international community
In the context of the ongoing crisis, the international community must increase pressure and support for human rights initiatives. Organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN are calling for the release of all political prisoners, including women. The efforts of ordinary citizens are also important: solidarity actions, letters of support to prisoners, information campaigns. Only joint efforts will help stop violations and protect women from arbitrariness.
Why it's important to talk about this on December 10
International Human Rights Day reminds us that rights and freedoms are not abstract values, but real guarantees that must protect everyone. The situation with female political prisoners in Belarus is a challenge for the entire international community. The fight for their freedom is a fight to preserve the universal human rights proclaimed by the Universal Declaration.
Today, December 10, it is important not only to recognize the scale of the problem, but also to make efforts to protect those who are deprived of a voice. Belarus and its female political prisoners need our solidarity and support to regain their right to freedom, dignity and justice.
#HumanRightsDay #StopTorture #LukashenkaTribunal #RoadToTheHague
#BelarusWomen #FreeBelarusWomen #FreePoliticalPrisoners
#StopViolence #Belarus #StandWithBelarus