Trials in Absentia Become a Tool of Intimidation
- Salidarnast Belarus
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
The regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka continues to weaponize trials in absentia against representatives of the independent trade union movement. A recent case involving Leanid Sudalenka, a lawyer to Salidarnast e.V., highlights the politically motivated nature of such prosecutions.
Sudalenka, who previously served a politically motivated prison sentence, was convicted in absentia once again—learning of the verdict only a year after his release. According to the human rights defender, he obtained an official letter from Belarusian Deputy Prosecutor General Aleh Stuk, detailing the grounds for the new conviction. The “evidence” cited was a series of interviews Sudalenka gave to independent media outlets following his release.
These platforms included prominent independent media declared “extremist formations” by the Belarusian authorities. The central “crime” was his public statements regarding the conditions of detention in Belarusian penal colonies. The Deputy Prosecutor General claimed these statements “discredited the Republic of Belarus”.
This case exemplifies the total criminalization of freedom of expression in Belarus. Speaking publicly about prison conditions or addressing an international audience now constitutes grounds for criminal prosecution.
A similar situation faces Maksim Pazniakou, Acting President of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP). He is currently wanted not only in Belarus but also in the Russian Federation. His “offense”: participating in international forums and raising awareness of the repression faced by the independent trade union movement, including the forced dissolution of the BKDP and the imprisonment of dozens of trade union leaders and activists.
Trials in absentia have become yet another instrument of political persecution in Belarus. These prosecutions serve not the purpose of justice, but rather function as tools of intimidation—used to silence those who speak out against repression, torture, and the dismantling of labour rights. The unacceptable nature of such persecution, including in absentia trials of trade unionists, was raised just days ago at the International Labour Conference.
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