Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Last year, political prisoner Mikalai Klimovich drew a comical picture of Lukashenka. He was arrested in December 2022 but released a few days later due to his severe heart-related disability as imprisonment could lead to health detriment. But despite his health condition, in February 2023, Judge Andrei Bychyla, at the suggestion of Prosecutor Illia Huzarevich, handed down a sentence of one year in prison. Think about it – a person was sentenced to a year in prison for drawing a cartoon!
Today, Mikalai Klimovich passed away. I want to express my sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. This is a huge tragedy and a huge pain for all of us.
We cannot allow any more deaths. Hundreds of political prisoners with serious health issues are currently being held in prisons. While all political prisoners must be free, these people should be the first to be released. And right now, family members and lawyers must be allowed to visit their relatives and defendants in prison. People must be allowed to send medicines to prisons, as prison administrations do not guarantee any treatment for the sick. There must be no more deaths”.
