1998 press releases

Sentencing of Belarusian Youths (February 26, 1998)

The United States is deeply concerned about continuing violations of human rights by the Government of Belarus. This week two teenagers were sentenced to two-year prison terms for spray-painting anti-presidential slogans on a government building. The youths were held for more than six months in an adult prison for the alleged vandalism, despite repeated appeals for their release pending trial. On February 24 a court in Minsk sentenced the 19-year-old to eighteen additional months in a "strict regime" labor camp and the 16-year-old to eighteen months, suspended.

The unwarranted inhumane pre-trial detention, the criminalization of what should be a minor civil offense, and the disproportionate nature of the sentences are reminiscent of the worst abuses of the Soviet era. Children should not be treated as common criminals, and there was no reason to treat these youths as dangerous. We call on Belarusian authorities to release the imprisoned youth and to reverse this deplorable decision.

This case once again demonstrates Belarus' failure to live up to the human-right standards expected of OSCE participating states. It also underscores the importance of the tasks facing the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Minsk, which will officially open its office later this week. We look to the Government of Belarus to cooperate fully with the group in addressing the human rights concerns that currently prevent Belarus from becoming a respected member of the community of democratic nations.