Central European University Joins European Humanities University in its Call for Solidarity with Belarusian Political Prisoners
CEU joins the European Humanities University (EHU) in calling for solidarity with all who have been subjected to repression by the Belarusian authorities. This includes all individuals who have been unlawfully arrested and detained, arbitrarily convicted, fired, or expelled from universities for expressing their civic and political views.
Today, 298 persons are recognized as political prisoners in Belarus and the number continues to grow. 48 students and graduates of EHU, our sister university in the Open Society University Network, a Belarusian university in exile in Vilnius (Lithuania) since 2004, were detained after the August 9, 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, whose legitimacy was rejected by the European Union, and the largest anti-government protests in the recent history of Belarus that followed.
Five EHU students and alumni remain imprisoned, including:
Maryia Rabkova, a political prisoner, EHU 3rd-year student, detained in Minsk on September 17, 2020. She faces up to 12 years in prison.
Akihiro Gaevski-Hanada, a political prisoner, EHU 2nd-year student, was detained on August 12, 2020. It is known that he was severely beaten while in police custody.
Mikalai Dziadok, a political prisoner, EHU alumnus (Class 2019), detained on November 12, 2020. While in custody, Mikalai’s health has deteriorated greatly. Mikalai faces up to 3 years in prison.
Wlodzimierz Malachowski, a political prisoner, EHU alumnus (Class 2013), detained in Vitebsk on September 13, 2020. On March 1, Wlodzimierz was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.
Ihar Barysau, EHU alumnus (Class 2008), the leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party, detained in Minsk on March 21.
CEU joins in solidarity with the political prisoners in Belarus and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. We call on universities and academics worldwide to express their solidarity and send messages of support to their imprisoned colleagues in Belarus.
