- Feb 5, 2002
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Catholic blogger and father Ihar Losik remains incarcerated in Belarus more than three years after being arrested for criticizing the country’s regime. Prior to his sentencing, Losik wrote to Pope Francis to ask for prayers and support for himself and other political prisoners.
Losik, 31, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2021 following a five-month trial. He joins an estimated 1,400 other political prisoners in the country, many of whom have reportedly been subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including torture.
In his August 2021 letter to Pope Francis, Losik described the hopelessness he has experienced while languishing in prison, even to the point of contemplating and attempting suicide. He has undertaken two hunger strikes while in prison, and has only been allowed to see his wife on a single occasion and his young daughter not at all.
“Threats were made to my family, my 2-year-old daughter — these people hold nothing sacred. They just decided to finish me off. They left me no other option but to prove my innocence posthumously. I tried to cut open my veins,” he told the pontiff. “Fifteen years in prison for nothing, without seeing my daughter is worse than death.”
Continued below.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Losik, 31, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2021 following a five-month trial. He joins an estimated 1,400 other political prisoners in the country, many of whom have reportedly been subjected to various forms of mistreatment, including torture.
In his August 2021 letter to Pope Francis, Losik described the hopelessness he has experienced while languishing in prison, even to the point of contemplating and attempting suicide. He has undertaken two hunger strikes while in prison, and has only been allowed to see his wife on a single occasion and his young daughter not at all.
“Threats were made to my family, my 2-year-old daughter — these people hold nothing sacred. They just decided to finish me off. They left me no other option but to prove my innocence posthumously. I tried to cut open my veins,” he told the pontiff. “Fifteen years in prison for nothing, without seeing my daughter is worse than death.”
Continued below.
Catholic blogger remains detained in Belarus after criticizing regime
Ihar Losik, 31, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2021 following a five-month trial.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
