Source: pap.pl
“In Belarus, political prisoners are subjected to torture and forced labor, receiving a monthly salary ranging from 3 cents to a maximum of 1.5 dollars. It is necessary to present Alexander Lukashenko with an ultimatum demanding the release of these prisoners,” emphasized former Belarusian Ambassador to Poland Pavel Latushka.
During an interview, the deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus highlighted that political prisoners in the country are not only subjected to torture but also forced into labor. “Belarus has 49 prisons, pre-trial detention centers, and colonies that house thousands of political prisoners. Our analysis indicates that there are approximately 1,500 political prisoners in the country. They are coerced into labor, earning meager wages ranging from 3 cents to a maximum of 1.5 dollars,” stated Mr. Latushka.
According to him, the revenue generated from this "prison-industrial activity" amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The main sectors involved are wood and metalworking, as well as the production of clothing, shoes, furniture, and agricultural products.
“All these goods are supplied to more than 20 countries, including European Union member states. As the United Transitional Cabinet, we have proposed that Poland and our EU partners enforce a package of sanctions on all products manufactured in Belarusian penitentiary institutions,” he emphasized.
The former Belarusian ambassador to Poland also suggested the presentation of an ultimatum to Lukashenko, demanding the release of all political prisoners who have been unlawfully detained and subjected to repression and forced labor. He added, “Otherwise, a package of sanctions will be implemented.”
“This will effectively transform the European demands for the release of political prisoners, which have been ignored by the Lukashenko regime, into concrete actions. It will serve as a way to compel the regime to meet these demands. It is crucial to send a clear signal to the Lukashenko regime regarding the imperative of releasing all political prisoners,” he stated.
On Thursday, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the systematic repression carried out by the Belarusian authorities against their own citizens. The ministry stressed the constant call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Minsk.
“The mass detentions conducted by the Belarusian authorities against former prisoners of conscience and the families of political prisoners demand a decisive response. The adoption of an additional package of sanctions against Belarus must occur as soon as possible,” emphasized the Foreign Ministry on Platform X.
Mr. Latushka: The effectiveness of sanctions against Belarus greatly depends on Poland
“The effectiveness of the EU's border controls and sanctions policies towards Belarus largely depends on Poland. Unified measures are needed to monitor the enforcement of sanctions within the EU,” stated former Belarusian Ambassador to Poland, Pavel Latushka.
Last Thursday, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the systemic repression of the Belarusian authorities against their own society. The ministry emphasized the urgent need for the adoption of the next EU package of sanctions against Belarus. “The mass detentions carried out by the Belarusian authorities, detentions of former prisoners of conscience, and the families of political prisoners demand a decisive response,” stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its communique.
The deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus emphasized on Monday that the introduction of the next sanction package is “very important.” However, he also noted that “the implementation of sanctions without subsequent monitoring of their application becomes extremely ineffective” and is circumvented by representatives of the regimes.
“The effectiveness of the European Union's border controls and sanctions policies towards the Lukashenko regime largely depends on Poland. Much also depends on the cooperation of other border countries, namely Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia,” he assessed.
Mr. Latushka recalled that in December 2023, the Baltic countries signed a declaration on the application of uniform measures to monitor compliance with sanctions. In his opinion, Poland joining this agreement would enable cutting off the Lukashenko regime from circumventing sanctions and increase their effectiveness. “The agreement between the Baltic countries indicates a very high risk of sanctioned goods leaking into Belarus and the Russian Federation. Poland's participation in this initiative would result in the implementation of uniform controls along almost the entire length of the EU's still open border with Russia and Belarus, which would be an important step toward improving the enforcement mechanism of EU sanctions,” he noted.
The European Union has implemented several sanctions against Belarus in response to the current situation in the country and Belarus' involvement in Russian aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the EU has imposed 12 packages of sanctions against Russia.
As learned from PAP last week, Poland and the Baltic countries have jointly prepared new proposals for sectoral EU sanctions against Russia. These proposals include a ban on LNG imports and a ban on aluminum imports from Russia. Poland and the Baltic countries also aim for the new package of sanctions to be implemented on a sectoral basis against Belarus as well. The objective is to prevent Russia from circumventing EU restrictions by using Minsk.
On December 20, 2023, the Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — Kaja Kallas, Evika Silina, and Ingrida Šimonytė — announced the creation of a joint regional mechanism to implement the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus by the European Union. The mechanism will involve joint efforts in identifying “illogical routes for transporting goods” and improving information exchange between the parties to the agreement.