Belarusian Political Prisoners Face Torture by Extreme Cold Amid Widespread Abuses, Reports Allege

MINSK – Human rights organizations and former detainees in Belarus report a systematic pattern of torture, including the deliberate use of extreme cold, unheated cells, and inadequate provisions, against political prisoners. These allegations emerge as the regime continues its harsh crackdown on dissent that intensified following the disputed 2020 presidential elections, raising grave concerns from international bodies regarding human rights violations that some experts believe may constitute crimes against humanity.

A Chilling Reality: Cold as a Tool of Repression

Testimonies from former political prisoners paint a stark picture of detention conditions, where cold is not merely an unfortunate circumstance but an alleged instrument of torture. Detainees describe being held in solitary confinement (SHIZO cells) with concrete floors and open windows, irrespective of the season, a practice that leaves them perpetually freezing. One former political prisoner, identified as Kiryl, recounted how this deliberate exposure to cold resulted in him constantly craving sleep during the day but being unable to sleep at night due to the frigid temperatures, ultimately leading to hallucinations. Another former detainee, Ihar Fiodarau, also spoke of enduring cold torture in SHIZO cells during November, a period when Belarusian winters are severe.

The conditions extend beyond solitary confinement. Zakhar Yanouski, another former political prisoner, described overcrowded cells with concrete floors where he and others spent cold nights, forced to improvise by placing objects like a broom under their bodies to avoid falling ill. These accounts, corroborated by numerous reports from human rights watchdogs, highlight "extreme cold conditions" as a prevalent form of abuse within the Belarusian penitentiary system.

Systemic Ill-Treatment Beyond the Cold

The use of extreme cold is part of a broader, well-documented array of torture and ill-treatment tactics reportedly employed against political prisoners in Belarus. Organizations such as Human Rights Watch, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Belarusian human rights center Viasna have extensively documented these abuses.

A particularly pervasive method is prolonged incommunicado detention, a practice recognized by international bodies as a form of inhuman treatment that can amount to torture or enforced disappearance. Many prominent opposition figures and activists, including Viktar Babaryka, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, and Ihar Losik, have been held incommunicado for extended periods, severely restricted from communicating with lawyers, family, or receiving correspondence and parcels. This isolation contributes significantly to the psychological torment endured by detainees.

Physical violence is also commonly reported. Former prisoners describe experiencing severe beatings upon arrest, in police vehicles, and within detention centers. Accounts include "corridors of death," where new arrivals are forced to walk between two lines of prison staff who beat them with batons. Overcrowding in cells, inadequate access to basic necessities like water and toilets, and harsh treatment by escort personnel further exacerbate the inhumane conditions. The International Committee for the Investigation of Torture in Belarus has documented over 100 cases of abuse at facilities like Okrestina, a notorious detention center, where men were reportedly beaten so severely that the sounds of their bones breaking could be heard.

Denial of Care and Grave Consequences

The denial of timely and appropriate medical care represents another critical dimension of the abuses. This systemic neglect has led to severe health complications for many detainees, with some political prisoners requiring urgent surgery after being denied adequate care. Tragically, at least three political prisoners — Aliaksandr Kulinich, Ihar Lednik, and Vadzim Khrasko — died preventable deaths in 2024 due to delayed or insufficient medical attention. Since 2020, Viasna has documented at least seven known deaths of political prisoners within Belarusian facilities. In March 2025, local rights groups indicated that over 224 political prisoners faced particularly high health risks due to the poor conditions.

Psychological torture, including threats of death, forced confessions on camera, and harsh labor conditions with impossible quotas, are also frequently cited. These tactics are designed to break the will of political prisoners and suppress dissent. Instances of sexual and gender-based violence, including strip searches, forced nudity, and threats of rape, have also been documented by OHCHR.

The Broader Context of Repression

These systematic abuses are deeply embedded within the wider political landscape of Belarus, where a widespread crackdown on government critics has been ongoing since the aftermath of the 2020 presidential elections. As of March 2025, Viasna reported over 1,200 political prisoners remained incarcerated, with over 3,870 individuals declared political prisoners since May 2020. The total number of convictions in politically motivated criminal cases since 2020 exceeds 6,830.

International human rights experts have consistently highlighted the "critically grave" and "continuously deteriorating" human rights situation in Belarus. In February 2025, the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus warned that some violations committed by the government, including arbitrary arrests and detention, may amount to crimes against humanity of imprisonment and persecution on political grounds. The report underscored that detained individuals in penal colonies face discriminatory treatment specifically designed to punish them and crush political resistance.

Calls for Accountability and International Concern

Despite international condemnation and calls for the release of political prisoners, the Belarusian regime has largely ignored demands for adherence to human rights standards. UN experts have repeatedly urged Belarus to release political prisoners, especially those with disabilities and serious health conditions, expressing horror at the appalling detention conditions and deliberate ill-treatment.

The comprehensive documentation of abuses by organizations like Viasna and DIGNITY, the Danish Institute Against Torture, provides crucial evidence that may be vital for future accountability efforts. The sheer volume of testimonies—over 1,870 stories of repression victims recorded by Viasna since 2020—underscores the scale of the human rights crisis. The international community continues to grapple with how to effectively pressure the Belarusian government to cease these practices and ensure the safety and humane treatment of its citizens.

Conclusion

The allegations of torture by extreme cold, coupled with a wide array of other systematic abuses, reveal a calculated strategy of repression against political prisoners in Belarus. These conditions, frequently leading to severe health deterioration and preventable deaths, demonstrate a profound disregard for human dignity and international human rights law. As calls for accountability grow louder, the plight of those incarcerated in Belarusian prisons remains a stark reminder of the urgent need for international intervention and sustained pressure on the regime to end its brutal crackdown.