Ahead of the final decision on the extradition case of Belarusian activist Andrei Gnyot, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“In light of the ongoing serious human rights violations in Belarus, and the manifest risks that Andrei Gnyot will face if returned there, it is imperative that the Serbian authorities immediately cease the extradition process. The charges against Andrei Gnyot are politically motivated.
“No one involved in activities critical of the Belarusian authorities should, under any circumstances, be handed over to Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s administration. Torture, humiliation, intimidation, unfair trials, and lengthy prison sentences are the well-known practices used by the Belarusian authorities to retaliate against their opponents.
No one involved in activities critical of the Belarusian authorities should, under any circumstances, be handed over to Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s administration
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“Under international law which prohibits torture and inhuman treatment, Serbia must provide protection to Andrei Gnyot. We call on the Serbian government to ensure his safety and freedom.”
Background
Andrei Gnyot, Belarusian journalist, activist and human rights defender, was detained in Belgrade, Serbia, in October 2023 under an Interpol Red Alert, following an extradition request from Belarus, based on seemingly unsubstantiated accusations of violating Belarus’s tax legislation. He spent seven months in detention in Belgrade before being transferred to house arrest on 6 June 2024. The first court hearing on his extradition in December 2023 was held with procedural violations, and the judge’s decision to approve his forcible return to Belarus was annulled in February 2024 by the court of appeal. The retrial in May 2024 resulted in a decision to extradite Andrei Gnyot which he is currently appealing. The final appeal hearing against the decision to extradite him is imminent.
Andrei Gnyot, a prominent Belarusian filmmaker and activist, co-founded the Free Association of Athletes (SOS-BY), an initiative that brought together athletes opposed to the government crackdown following the widely disputed presidential elections in 2020. As part of this crackdown, the organization was arbitrarily designated “extremist” by the Belarusian authorities.