HRF celebrates the release of Belarusian dissident Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk

NEW YORK (Feb. 25, 2025) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) celebrates the release of Belarusian dissident Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, who was released on Feb. 2, after spending 1,491 days in arbitrary detention. A prominent pro-democracy activist and regional coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, Sharenda-Panasiuk has opposed Alexander Lukashenko’s regime for more than three decades, enduring severe repression as a result. Most recently, she was arrested in January 2021 after security forces raided her home in Brest, Belarus. Officials accused her of defamation and insults against government officials and also charged her with disobeying police officers during the raid. 

“Sharenda-Panasiuk stands out in the Belarusian political landscape for her bravery and unconditional support for a democratic and pluralistic Belarus. Her participation in peaceful protests and her legitimate criticism of Belarus’ dictatorship cost her her freedom for more than four years, highlighting the extent to which Lukashenko’s regime is willing to silence any type of dissent. Her release was necessary to bring hope in a country where more than 1,200 political prisoners are currently detained,” HRF Senior Legal Associate Venla Stang said. 

In June 2021, Sharenda-Panasiuk was sentenced to two years in prison for insulting the president and government officials and threatening to use violence against an official. However, the Belarusian regime’s repression did not end there. In April 2022, October 2023, and October 2024, she received additional one-year sentences for allegedly disobeying the prison’s regulations. Her trials were marred by due process violations, such as limited access to counsel, not being allowed to be present during her trials, and closed-door proceedings before politically-controlled courts. Throughout her detention, Sharenda-Panasiuk was held in unsanitary conditions, denied communication with her loved ones, and frequently deprived of food parcels and medication necessary to treat her medical condition.

In May, HRF and the Minsk-based Human Rights Center Viasna submitted a joint petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, urging it to declare Sharenda-Panasiuk’s detention arbitrary under international law. In October, several UN Special Procedures mandate holders called on Belarus to respect its human rights obligations in Sharenda-Panasiuk’s case, demanding legal and factual explanations for her prosecution and conviction, and requesting she receive immediate medical attention.

Since the fraudulent presidential election of 2020, when Lukashenko falsely claimed victory for a fifth term, protests erupted across the country, exposing widespread discontent with Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule and blatant electoral fraud. These protests were met with brutal crackdowns. Tens of thousands of Belarusians have been arrested, with many of the detainees being subjected to torture and sham trials. The regime’s repression has led to international condemnation, isolating Belarus and triggering heavy sanctions.

“My deepest bow to all those who thought about me in and outside Belarus. Thank you for your help. But we should not forget those who remain detained in this slaughterhouse, as I call it. We should make every effort to free them,” Sharenda-Panasiuk said after her release.

Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.