Belarus: Alarming Ill-Treatment Of Women Prisoners And Life-Threatening Condition Of Viktoria Kulsha, Say UN Experts

GENEVA, 26 March 2025

Independent human rights experts* today urged Belarusian authorities to address persistent allegations of ill-treatment of women held in correctional colonies.

“We are deeply concerned about the harsh treatment of women convicted in connection with the protests against the 2020 presidential election,” the experts said.

They expressed alarm at the life-threatening condition of Viktoria Kulsha, a former administrator of the ‘Drivers 97%’ Telegram channel, which encouraged drivers to block streets in protest after the 2020 elections.

Kulsha is currently being held in Zarechye Correctional Colony No. 24 and has reportedly suffered a serious deterioration in her physical and mental health. However, she has been denied adequate medical and psychological care and continues to be subjected to severe ill-treatment.

The experts also raised concerns about three older women prisoners — Alena Hnauk, Volha Mayorava, and Iryna Takarchuk — who were convicted as part of the repression unfolding since 2020.

“Poor detention conditions, combined with deliberate ill-treatment, including punitive solitary confinement, put their health at serious risk,” they said. “Moreover, alleged prolonged incommunicado detention of Ms. Alena Hnauk increases the risk of her enforced disappearance.”

The prison sentences of Kulsha, Hnauk and Mayorava were extended following their convictions under Article 411 of the Criminal Code (‘malicious disobedience of the prison administration’). Kulsha has been prosecuted three times under this provision.

“Article 411 of the Criminal Code allows for the indefinite extension of prison sentences on the basis of charges of ‘disobedience’ brought by the very prison staff responsible for the ill-treatment of detainees,” the experts said.

“This provision has become yet another cruel tool wielded by prison authorities to punish those deemed disloyal to the Government,” they said, calling on the Belarusian authorities to immediately repeal Article 411 of the Criminal Code and release those convicted under it.

The experts reiterated their concerns to the Belarusian Government about the widespread ill-treatment of women and older prisoners. “We are dismayed by the continued failure of Belarus to address these issues,” they said.

The experts also expressed concern about the abuse of counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation in these cases, calling on the Government to bring these laws into compliance with international law.

The experts are in contact with the Government of Belarus on this matter.

*The experts: Nils Muižnieks, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus; Matthew Gillett (Chair-Rapporteur), Ganna Yudkivska (Vice-Chair on Communications), Priya Gopalan (Vice-Chair on Follow-Up), Miriam Estrada Castillo and Mumba Malila, Working Group on arbitrary detention; Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Grażyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Aua Baldé, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, Mohammed Al-Obaidi (members), Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstić, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls.

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