A 22-year-old political prisoner has died in a Belarusian penal colony, marking yet another instance of a political prisoner dying in custody.
While the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, human rights activists report that Shlethauer passed away on October 11 in penal colony No. 15 in Mahilyow, a city in eastern Belarus, where he had been incarcerated for a short time after being transferred from detention shortly before his death.
The Viasna Human Rights Centre, the leading human rights watchdog in Belarus, reported that Shlethauer had become a father during the trial but was not allowed to see his child.
The 22-year-old held Russian citizenship and, in 2018, received a residence permit in Belarus.
“Murder of political prisoner — true face of [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko. He must be held accountable,” said Pavel Latushka, a Belarusian opposition figure, and a harsh critic of Lukashenko’s regime, who has been living in Poland since 2020.#Belarus Political prisoner Dzmitry Shlethauer died in jail. He was just 22.
— Hanna Liubakova (@HannaLiubakova) November 1, 2024
He spent in a penal colony less than a month, being sentenced to 12 years on charges of "espionage" and "facilitation of extremist activity."
He recently became a father.
It's the seventh death of… pic.twitter.com/sZMGuZrWA6
A political prisoner Dmitri Shletgauer died in #Lukashenko's prison. He is the 7th political prisoner to die in the prisons of the regime.
— Pavel Latushka (@PavelLatushka) November 1, 2024
Mass acts of intimidation and terror yesterday & today, murder of political prisoner — true face of Lukashenko. He must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/8u1bvThca4
Another death behind bars
Shlethauer’s death marks yet another case of a political prisoner dying while in custody.
According to Viasna, at least seven political prisoners have died behind bars in Belarus since 2021, including Vitold Ashurak, a member of the opposition Belarusian Popular Front party, and the renowned nonconformist painter Ales Pushkin.
Viasna reports that there are currently over 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus.At least 7 political prisoners have died behind bars since 2021 in Belarus
— Viasna (@viasna96) November 2, 2024
Yesterday it became known about the death of 22-year-old political prisoner Dzmitry Shlethauer in a Belarusian prison. pic.twitter.com/Uu1a5PBoyy
However, experts say the figure is likely an undercount, as many individuals do not report their detention, fearing reprisals against themselves and their relatives.
