A Log In Lukashenko's Eye

• 5.07.2025, 20:51

This is eloquently evidenced by the appearance of the dictator's released hostages.

Belarus at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council drew attention to human rights violations and persecution of ethnic Belarusians in Ukraine, the pro-government press reports.

The representative of official Minsk said that "repressions on political grounds continue in Ukraine." According to him, "in this context, the persecution of ethnic Belarusians - the Kononovich brothers - solely for expressing their views is indicative."

Belarus "demands their immediate release, as well as all prisoners persecuted by the Ukrainian authorities for expressing their civil position," the Lukashenko diplomat said in a statement.

The brothers in question are Mikhail and Alexander Kononovich, detained in March 2022 on charges of "calls for a violent seizure of power" and "conspiracy to commit these acts."

The brothers were born in Luninets district, but do not have Belarusian citizenship. While living in Kiev, they became leaders of the pro-Russian "Lenin Communist Youth Union of Ukraine," agitating for rapprochement with Russia and Belarus.

They are currently under house arrest with the right to leave the house during the day.

The cynical claim about Ukraine is a classic example of a log in one's own eye. In today's Belarus, expressing one's own opinion that does not coincide with the official line is fraught with serious consequences for anyone.

Only since the beginning of this year, human rights activists have recorded more than 1700 political detentions. There are many more political prisoners in the country. Hundreds of thousands have been squeezed out of the country, independent media do not actually operate in Belarus.

In contrast to the Kononovich brothers, the Belarusians, who have fallen into disfavor in their country, are in torture conditions. This is eloquently evidenced by the appearance of Lukashenko's released hostages.

Artyom Sinitsyn, "Salidarnasts".