Political prisoner release shows that pressure works
Some good news this week: three political prisoners from Belarus, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Andrey Kuznechyk, were released, the result of intense negotiations between the US and Lithuanian governments and Belarusian authorities. This is no small feat, considering the climate of repression that continues to define President Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s regime. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seizing on the opportunity, also called for the release of nearly 1,300 political prisoners still languishing behind bars in Belarus – a call we welcome.
It’s not just Belarus where we’ve seen progress. This week brought news of the release of Salma al-Shehab (pictured), a mother of two and PhD candidate at the University of Leeds, who was imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for simply advocating for women’s rights on social media. She was arrested in 2021 while on holiday and was initially given a three-year sentence but, on appeal, the sentence was increased to 34 years, plus an extra 34-year travel ban. Even by Saudi Arabia’s harsh standards, her sentence was an outrageous overreach. Index has regularly highlighted al-Shehab’s case, calling for her release. So we were relieved (and somewhat surprised) to see that justice has finally prevailed—at least in her case. As activist Lina Al-Hathloul rightly points out al-Shehab was not an exception: “She is symbolic of a pattern. She was released because of this pressure but many more others still remain in prison for the same charges.”
Elsewhere, in Iran, journalists Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi have been released after they were pardoned by the authorities. The pair had previously been sentenced to 12 and 13 years in prison respectively simply for doing their jobs – reporting on the truth. In this case, the truth being how Mahsa Amini was killed in police custody, her death sparking the Woman Life Freedom protests in the country.
None of these individuals should have spent a single day in jail. Yet, even as we recognise the injustices that remain, it’s crucial to cherish the wins when we get them. Their releases serve as important reminders; diplomacy and persistence can make a difference. So in the words of civil rights activist John Lewis, one of the Big Six leaders who organised the 1963 March on Washington with Martin Luther King Jr: “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
Jemimah Steinfeld
CEO, Index on Censorship
