United Nations experts have issued a grave warning to Belarus, demanding the immediate release of political activist Viktoria Kulsha. They say her life is in danger due to an ongoing hunger strike in prison.
Kulsha, a former administrator of the pro-democracy ‘Drivers 97%’ Telegram channel, has been on an indefinite hunger strike since late April. She is currently held in Zarechye Correctional Colony No. 24. Her health has reportedly reached a critical state, prompting human rights experts to sound the alarm on 19 May 2025.
“Her condition is life-threatening,” said the experts. “We are deeply concerned for her safety. Immediate release is necessary to save her life.”
Prolonged detention despite sentence served
Kulsha was first arrested in November 2020 following widespread protests against the re-election of Aleksandr Lukashenka. She was convicted under Article 342 of the Belarusian Criminal Code for “gross violation of public order” and sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Despite completing her sentence, Kulsha remains behind bars. Her detention has been extended three times under Article 411, which penalises “malicious disobedience” to prison authorities. A fourth investigation under the same charge was recently launched, prompting her hunger strike.
Experts say this ongoing detention is legally and morally unacceptable.
“These repeated extensions may amount to arbitrary detention,” they said, noting that it could violate Article 14(7) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Belarus ratified the treaty in 1973. The article prohibits repeated punishment for the same offence.
No amnesty for protest-linked prisoners
On 9 May 2025, Belarus announced an amnesty for vulnerable inmates. However, prisoners jailed over the 2020 protests, including Kulsha, were excluded. Several presidential pardons over the past year have also failed to benefit her or others in similar situations.
The UN experts have publicly voiced concern over the last two months about Kulsha’s deteriorating health and alleged ill-treatment in custody.
“We have credible reports of widespread abuse in Belarusian women’s prisons, especially targeting those linked to the 2020 protests,” the experts said. “Viktoria Kulsha and other women in similar conditions must be freed and granted full rehabilitation.”
Global pressure mounts
The call from independent human rights experts adds to growing international pressure on Belarus. Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised the government for political repression, unfair trials, and abuse of detainees.
As Kulsha’s health worsens, the world watches closely. Her fate now rests in the hands of a regime accused of silencing dissent by any means necessary.
