70-year-old human rights defender Uladzimir Tselyapun, detained in April, has cancer
Human rights defender and former political prisoner Leanid Sudalenka told "Radio Svaboda" about the serious illness of the arrested human rights defender Uladzimir Tselyapun from Mazyr.
Uladzimir Tselyapun
"He has cancer, currently in remission. Those who saw him before his arrest noted that he had lost a lot of weight. It's clear that he needs care, attention from doctors, but it will be difficult to provide that in a pre-trial detention center, I know from personal experience, I was there for a year. It's not even known if he is receiving the necessary medication. There was hope that the measure of restraint would be changed to a recognizance not to leave, considering his age and health condition, but the investigation did not take such a humane step."
Earlier, it became known that Uladzimir Tselyapun is charged under Art. 361‑4 of the Criminal Code (assistance to extremist activities) and Art. 367 of the Criminal Code (defamation of Lukashenka).
Uladzimir Tselyapun is known in the region for his human rights activities, including the right to peaceful assembly. In 1986, he participated in the cleanup of the Chernobyl disaster. He has health problems. Earlier, Tselyapun was repeatedly detained under administrative articles; the last time this was reported was in January 2025.
This time, Tselyapun was detained around mid-April, after which he did not return home. Later it turned out that he was held in a pre-trial detention center in Homel.
On April 30, Belarusian human rights defenders recognized him as a political prisoner.
Comments