Siarhei Antusevich speaks at Washington rally in support of political prisoners
Deputy Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) Siarhei Antusevich took part in the Roll Call for Freedom ceremony, held on 30 October at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to mark the International Day of Political Prisoners.
During the event, participants read out the names of political prisoners from different countries around the world. A minute’s silence was observed in memory of those who died in detention. The stories of political prisoners from Belarus were given particular attention in the programme.
The trade union leader, who himself spent a year and a half in prison, spoke about the conditions in which political prisoners are currently held in Belarus.
“The conditions in which people serve their sentences have not changed at all since Stalin’s time. It is the very same system as Stalin’s Gulag,” he said.
According to Siarhei Antusevich, the release of individual political prisoners does not mean that repression has ended: while some people are freed, others are sent to prison. He described the process as a “conveyor belt” and said that the Belarusian authorities are using political prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations over sanctions.
At the Lincoln Memorial, Antusevich also spoke about the fate of trade union activist Vatslau Areshka, whom he has known for more than 20 years. Areshka remains behind bars and has lost his sight during his imprisonment.
For Antusevich himself, the event took place almost exactly three years after his release. He left Penal Colony No. 15 in Mahiliou on 31 October 2023. In Washington, he reminded those present that many of his colleagues and acquaintances still remain in prison.
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