TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian man named Valiantsin Shtermer, aged 61, has died in custody while serving a five-year sentence for insulting the authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. This information was reported by the Viasna Human Rights Center, adding to a troubling trend of political prisoners who have died in Belarus amid a persistent crackdown on dissent. The circumstances surrounding Shtermer's death remain unclear, as the exact date and details were not immediately disclosed.
Shtermer, a businessman, was convicted in October 2023 for charges including insulting President Lukashenko and criticizing Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Following his conviction, he was categorized as an “extremist” and “terrorist,” labels that often subject inmates to harsh prison conditions. His death marks the eighth political prisoner to perish in custody since the upheaval in Belarus began in 2020, following a disputed presidential election that resulted in Lukashenko securing his sixth consecutive term.
The 2020 elections led to widespread protests throughout Belarus, with authorities responding by arresting over 65,000 individuals and employing violent tactics against demonstrators, including beatings by police. Many opposition figures were imprisoned or forced into exile, and hundreds of thousands fled the country to escape persecution. According to Viasna, Belarus currently holds nearly 1,200 political prisoners, among them Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the organization's founder.
President Lukashenko, who has ruled with an iron grip for more than 30 years, has relied heavily on support from the Kremlin. In 2022, he allowed Russian forces to use Belarusian territory to launch military operations in neighboring Ukraine and host tactical nuclear weapons. Recently, some political prisoners, including several U.S. citizens, were released, which some observers interpreted as Lukashenko's attempt to improve relations with the West, although many remain imprisoned.
The prison colony where Shtermer died is notorious for its severe conditions. Human rights activists have reported that he experienced a stroke prior to his imprisonment but was placed in a penitentiary cell upon arrival. Activists stated that he struggled to speak, had difficulties walking, and sustained injuries after collapsing, yet he reportedly did not receive any medical care while in custody. Another political prisoner, Vitold Ashurok, died under similar conditions in the same prison in 2021.
Pavel Sapelka from Viasna stated, “The Belarusian authorities bear the full responsibility for harassing political prisoners and creating torturous conditions for them and the death of innocent people behind bars.” The United Nations reports that Belarus holds at least seven political prisoners with disabilities, as well as an additional 78 individuals suffering from chronic and serious acute illnesses.
In light of this, U.N. experts expressed horror over the appalling detention conditions, the lack of adequate medical care, and the deliberate mistreatment of prisoners, particularly those involved in the events surrounding the 2020 protests. They specifically noted the dire situation of Viktoria Kulsha, 43, who has been on a hunger strike since late April after being sentenced for her participation in protests.
