UN Experts Urge Belarus to End Ill-Treatment of Female Prisoners, Repeal Law

Kulsha is currently being held in Zarechye Correctional Colony No. 24, where her physical and mental health is reportedly in severe decline.

UN human rights experts have sounded the alarm over the continued abuse of female prisoners in Belarus, calling on authorities to repeal legislation that enables indefinite imprisonment and to urgently address the deteriorating health conditions of several detainees.

Independent United Nations human rights experts issued a strong condemnation of the Belarusian government’s ongoing treatment of women held in correctional colonies, particularly those imprisoned in connection with the widespread protests that followed the country’s disputed 2020 presidential election. They highlighted the deteriorating health conditions and alleged inhumane treatment of several women prisoners, warning that current detention practices may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

In a joint statement released today, the experts expressed grave concern for the welfare of Viktoria Kulsha, a former administrator of the popular ‘Drivers 97%’ Telegram channel, which had urged drivers to block streets in protest after the 2020 election results sparked nationwide unrest.

Kulsha is currently being held in Zarechye Correctional Colony No. 24, where her physical and mental health is reportedly in severe decline. Despite her worsening condition, she has allegedly been denied access to appropriate medical and psychological care and has been subjected to harsh disciplinary measures, including solitary confinement and other forms of ill-treatment.

The UN experts said Kulsha’s case is emblematic of a broader pattern of repression targeting women in Belarus. They also expressed concern about the imprisonment of three older women activists — Alena Hnauk, Volha Mayorava, and Iryna Takarchuk — all of whom were convicted following the crackdown on dissent that began in 2020.

“Poor detention conditions, combined with deliberate ill-treatment, including punitive solitary confinement, put their health at serious risk,” the experts said. They added that the situation is especially alarming for Alena Hnauk, who is reportedly being held in prolonged incommunicado detention, raising fears of a potential enforced disappearance — a violation of international human rights law.

Abuse of Article 411

A central focus of the experts’ statement was Article 411 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, under which all four women — Kulsha, Hnauk, Mayorava, and Takarchuk — have faced additional prison time. The provision criminalizes “malicious disobedience of the prison administration” and has been used to indefinitely extend prison sentences, often based on accusations from the same officials accused of mistreating inmates.

“Article 411 has become yet another cruel tool wielded by prison authorities to punish those deemed disloyal to the government,” the experts said. Viktoria Kulsha, for example, has reportedly been prosecuted three separate times under this provision, effectively trapping her in a cycle of renewed punishment without meaningful judicial review.

The experts called on the Belarusian authorities to immediately repeal Article 411, describing it as a mechanism for state abuse that violates multiple international human rights norms. They further urged the government to release all individuals convicted under this law, especially those whose health is at risk.

Call for International Law Compliance

In addition to raising the alarm over the mistreatment of women detainees, the experts criticized Belarus for its abuse of counter-terrorism and anti-extremism laws, which have been applied to peaceful protesters and online organizers. They asserted that such measures are being used to criminalize dissent, and they called for these laws to be brought into compliance with international legal standards.

The experts have reportedly communicated these concerns directly to the Belarusian Government, though no satisfactory response has been received to date.

“We are dismayed by the continued failure of Belarus to address these issues,” the experts said. “The ongoing repression, particularly of women and older detainees, signals a deepening human rights crisis.”

Background: Widening Crackdown Since 2020

The crackdown on dissent in Belarus intensified following the August 2020 presidential election, in which long-time president Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory amid widespread allegations of electoral fraud. The results sparked months of mass protests and a brutal response from state authorities, including arbitrary arrests, beatings, and politically motivated prosecutions.

Since then, Belarusian authorities have pursued a wide-ranging campaign to suppress opposition voices, with particular emphasis on silencing female activists, journalists, and civil society leaders. Reports from inside the country and from exiled Belarusians have painted a grim picture of deteriorating prison conditions and increasing authoritarian control.

International Pressure Mounts

The UN experts' latest statement adds to growing international condemnation of Belarus's human rights record. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have previously documented similar patterns of abuse in the country’s penal system, particularly against women and political prisoners.

The experts concluded their statement by calling on the international community to continue monitoring the situation in Belarus and to advocate for the protection of women detainees, the abolition of repressive legal provisions, and accountability for abuses committed by state actors.

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The UN experts involved in this statement are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system. They work on a voluntary basis and are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.