As you are sitting here, expressing your freedom of speech and opinion, people in Belarus are persecuted for the exact same right. This is the case of Marfa Rabkova.
Marfa Rabkova, a Belarusian student and human rights activist, bravely voiced her opposition to the regime during the 2020 presidential election. She monitored peaceful gatherings, documented instances of torture against detained protesters, and spoke out against the government's actions. Without any evidence of violent or terrorist activity, Marfa has been singled out and unjustly labeled an extremist and a terrorist for exercising her fundamental right to freedom of expression, and now faces a harsh sentence of 14 years and 9 months in prison.
Marfa Rabkova was detained together with her husband Vadzim Zharomski on the evening of September 17, 2020. Their apartment was searched and their personal belongings and money confiscated. The officers brought Marfa to a detention facility on a charge of ‘education or other preparation of persons for participation in mass riots or financing such activities’.
“You are labeling me as ‘extremist’, stating that I was a destructive element, I was hateful, and I had lost my roots. But I am just as much a part of society as the rest of you. The only difference about me is that I call things for what they are and I cannot ignore them. Violence is violence, repressions are repressions, and war is war. There is no other way.“ - Marfa Rabkova
Why is this urgent?
In April 2022, whilst in the pre-trial detention, VIASNA received information that Marfa has been dealing with several untreated health issues, including severe stomach pains, inflammation in her neck with a cyst on the thyroid, and tooth decay. In the most recent update from VIASNA (April 4, 2022) is reporting that some of her issues have received partial care, but many are still being left untreated.
The political situation in Belarus
Since its independence and adoption of a new constitution in 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has been the sole head of state in Belarus. Over the last two decades, Belarus has seen numerous human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and significant violations of freedom of expression and assembly. These violations are primarily aimed at suppressing any real or perceived dissenting voices and ensuring Lukashenko's regime remains in power. The situation of human rights further worsened in Belarus when Lukashenko decided to run for another term in 2020. Opposition candidates were not permitted to register, and in the period leading up to the elections, several candidates were arbitrarily arrested and detained. Multiple peaceful protests took place during this time, but they were met with severe repression from the state. The authorities targeted anyone who expressed even mild dissent with relentless force.
Marfa's persecution and the targeting of VIASNA is only a small part of a wider crackdown on civil society in Belarus. On July 22, 2021, the Ministry of Justice issued an order to close 53 organizations, adding to the more than 200 civil society organizations that have already been shut down or are currently facing closure.
Our plea is for the authorities in Belarus to release Marfa Rabkova and all members of Viasna who have been detained without cause, and to cease the ongoing crackdown against human rights defenders and their organizations in the country with immediate effect.
Sources:
This page is developed by NCHR students as part of their HUMR 4504 project.