WASHINGTON—U.S. Helsinki Commission Ranking Member Representative Steve Cohen (TN-09), OSCE PA Special Representative on Political Prisoners, today issued a statement following Alexander Lukashenka’s imprisonment of two journalists:
“Lukashenka is trying to rehabilitate his reputation by releasing some wrongfully imprisoned Belarusians into exile while also filling Belarus’ prisons with even more journalists and dissidents. Following the release of twenty-five prisoners last week, Belarusian authorities have arrested journalist Kyril Pazniak and sentenced journalist Ihar Ilyash to four years in prison on trumped up charges of extremism and discrediting Belarus. The prisoners released last week endured years of physical and psychological torture, and Kyril and Ihar likely will be forced to endure the same brutality. Lukashenka must be made to pay for the thousands of lives he has traded for power.”
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