In Lida, a court sentenced a lieutenant colonel to four years in a penal colony for abuse of power with the use of violence.

In Belarus, it is common for soldiers to be  used as unpaid forced labor for various tasks, often by senior officers. Although this practice is prohibited by law, it remains prevalent. Soldiers are frequently made to sweep streets, lay railway ties, build dachas and homes for their superiors, or are forced to collect signatures for government-backed candidates in the so-called parliament or even for Lukashenko. Some are even coerced into becoming fake witnesses for the persecution of political opponents, as was the case during a search of Olga Karach’s apartment in 2008. Refusal is difficult—those who refuse often face physical punishment and torture.

Those commanders who practice the forced labor of soldiers are rarely held accountable, even though slavery is officially prohibited in Belarus. This makes the recent court case in Lida all the more surprising.

According to state “Lida TV”, the officer held the position of head of physical training and sports at a military unit and was found guilty of abusing his power. According to a statement from the senior assistant prosecutor of the Lida district, Alesya Leshevich, from June 2021 to October 2023, the lieutenant colonel repeatedly gave illegal orders to his subordinates. He forced conscripts to perform repair and construction work at his dacha and also instructed them to prepare his car for painting.

Those whose work did not meet his standards were subjected to physical violence. During the trial, the officer partially admitted his guilt, confirming that he had forced soldiers to work, but denied using physical force. The court sentenced him to four years in prison, imposed a fine of 12,000 rubles (about 3,600 euros), stripped him of his rank, and banned him from holding certain positions for five years.

“Our House” strongly condemns the practice of forcing Belarusian soldiers into slave labor, as well as the use of physical punishments and torture against them.

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