December 1st is the Day of Prisoners for Peace. For over 60 years, War Resisters’ International (WRI), of which the Belarusian human rights organization “Our House” is an affiliate member, has used this day to highlight the names and stories of those who are imprisoned for their commitment to peace.

Many of these individuals are conscientious objectors who were jailed for refusing to join the military, while others engaged in nonviolent actions to prevent preparations for war.

This day is your opportunity to show solidarity with these individuals and their causes by writing to those whose freedom has been taken away for their stand against violence and their fight for peace.
In Belarus, peace prisoners remain the most invisible and undeservedly forgotten group among political prisoners. Their stories are rarely told, they are seldom remembered, and they receive few letters of support.
They spoke out openly against violence and war, suffered torture, criminal prosecution, and severe prison sentences, and some even faced the threat of execution.

“Our House” and WRI call on you to support the following prisoners for peace. Their stories and mailing addresses are provided below so that you can write to them directly.

Denis Urad:

A military officer who openly opposed the violent actions taken by the Belarusian army to disperse peaceful demonstrators in Belarus.
He was charged with treason and sentenced to 19 years in prison, narrowly avoiding a death sentence.

Denis Urad is from Rossony in the Vitebsk region of Belarus, born on June 23, 1991. He is married and has a young son. He studied at the Military Academy, specializing in the Faculty of Communications and Automated Control Systems, graduating in 2014. He holds the rank of captain.

Until March 15, 2021, Denis Urad served as a specialist in secure communications within the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces.

On March 14, 2021, while on duty, Denis photographed a confidential letter from Interior Minister, Lieutenant General Ivan Kubrakov, to Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin. The letter called for the deployment of Armed Forces personnel to assist in “maintaining public order,” which Denis then shared with independent Belarusian Telegram channels.
In the letter, the Interior Minister requested the deployment of 50 military personnel to guard “state-protected facilities essential for public life, transport, and high-risk locations” in the villages of Borovlyany and Kopishche in Minsk district. In reality, these areas were hubs of peaceful civilian protest activity.

In simple terms, this means that the Interior Minister was requesting military personnel to use force and violence to disperse peaceful demonstrations during the Belarusian revolution-2020.

Denis Urad stood firmly against the use of the military for forcibly suppressing peaceful protests. He photographed the classified letter to prevent violence and bloodshed. Thanks to his actions, the planned military involvement caused an outcry, and the military was ultimately not deployed for violent suppression. As a result, peaceful civilians were not subjected to violence or harm by military forces.

On May 14, 2021, it became known that the Supreme Court sentenced Denis Urad under Article 356, Part 2 of the Criminal Code (“Treason against the State by a person with military status”) to 18 years of imprisonment under a strict regime. The Supreme Court also stripped him of his rank of Captain.

On August 22, 2022, a hearing was held regarding the transfer of this political prisoner to another correctional facility and a change in his detention conditions. Judge Olga Baliko ruled that he be transferred to a prison regime, meaning that Denis Urad is currently subject to torture and is being treated very harshly.

On September 21, 2022, it was reported that Denis Urad had been transferred to Mogilev Prison No. 4.

Address for letters: Prison No. 4, Krupskaya str. 99A, Mogilev, 212011, for Dzianis Urad

Pavel Piskun:

A teenager who attempted to stop the movement of Russian military equipment in Belarus through nonviolent means.

Pavel Piskun – student of Narovlya Vocational Lyceum, from Mozyr, Gomel region, born on 29.04.2004 (minor at the time of detention)

Pavel was detained on March 8, 2022, but the police informed his relatives about his detention only the next morning, around 8.00. According to the existing practice in Belarus, this means that the child was beaten and tortured all night, taking advantage of the fact that he was alone without his parents.

During a joint interrogation, the teenager appeared frightened following torture and threats. Authorities promised his parents that he would be released the next day, but he was not released, and a criminal case was opened against him.

Pavel Piskun was accused of filming Russian military equipment on his cell phone on February 27, as well as on March 1 and 2, 2022, and sending this video to the Belarusian independent Telegram channel together with an accompanying text, in which he described the amount of equipment, the direction of its movement and its distinctive features, because he opposed the war in Ukraine and wanted to prevent the movement of Russian troops in Belarus towards Ukraine.

According to the prosecution’s version, Pavel Piskun assisted extremist activity with these actions. A teenager was tried in a cage.
On July 18, 2022, the Gomel Regional Court found Pavel Piskun guilty of “Assisting extremist activities” (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code) and sentenced him to 3 years in prison.
On October 7, 2022, the appellate court upheld the verdict.

His place of imprisonment is IK No. 3, 211300, Vitba village, Vitebsk region, Vitebsk district, for Paval Piskun

Danuta Perednya:

Woman who called for non-violent protests in the streets if the Belarusan army goes to war in Ukraine

Danuta Perednya comes from Kirovsk, Mogilev region, and is an honor student. She studied Romano-Germanic philology at the Kuleshov Mogilev State University. She was born on January 26, 2002.
On February 27, 2022, she reposted a text in one of Mahiliou chat rooms, which sharply criticized the actions of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenka in unleashing war in Ukraine. Danuta also called for non-violent street protests if the Belarusian army entered the war.

The girl was detained on February 28, 2022, when she came by shuttle bus from Kirovsk to Mahiliou. A criminal case was opened under the article “Calls for actions aimed at harming national security” (Article 361 of the Criminal Code) and “Insulting Lukashenka” (Article 368 of the Criminal Code).

Following her detention in February 2022, Danuta was expelled from the university.
On June 10, 2022, the KGB added her to the list of “persons involved in terrorist activities”. This means that Danuta is forbidden money transfers to the prison, and parcels and visits with relatives are very much restricted. The girl is under torture.
On July 1, 2022, the Kirovsky District Court found Danuta guilty and sentenced her to 6 years and 6 months in a general regime colony.
On December 23, 2022, the Interior Ministry placed her on an “extremist list”.
On January 2023, it became known that Danuta was transferred from Prison No. 4 to the Gomel Women’s Colony No. 4.

Her place of imprisonment is Gomel, IK-4, Antonoshkina St. 3, 246035, for Danuta Perednya

Irina Abdukerina:

Woman who tried to prevent the movement of Russian military equipment in Belarus by non-violent means

Irina – teacher, born in Khoiniki, date of birth 27.05.1972
Irina was detained on the morning of April 5, 2022 at her dacha. The reason for the detention was allegedly that Abdukerina recorded the movement of a column of Russian military equipment on her phone and sent the recording to an independent telegram channel. During the detention, the woman was tortured and the so-called “pakayana video” was recorded with her – when a person under torture is forced to incriminate himself on a video camera.

The woman was charged under the following articles: “Incitement of enmity and discord” (part 1 of article 130 of the Criminal Code), “Participation in an extremist formation” (361-1 of the Criminal Code), “Discrediting Belarus” (369-1 of the Criminal Code).
On November 28, 2022 the case of the political prisoner was considered in Gomel Regional Court.
On December 6, 2022 Homiel Regional Court found Irina guilty and punished her with imprisonment in a general regime colony for four years. She was also fined 100 basic units (960 euros).

On February 24, 2023 the Interior Ministry included the political prisoner in the “list of extremists”.
In early March 2023 it became known that Irina was transferred from SIZO-3 to Homel Penitentiary Institution No. 4.

Her place of imprisonment is Gomel, IK-4, Antonoshkina St. 3, 246035, for Iryna Abdukeryna