08/05/2023 (Agence Europe) – The EU stressed on Monday 8 May that it had learned “with dismay and sadness” of the death of political prisoner Mikalai Klimovich, in the penitentiary colony No. 3 in Vitebsk (Belarus) last week. He was sentenced to one year in prison for posting a caricature of Alexander Lukashenko on a social network. According to the European External Action Service spokesperson, Mr Klimovich, who suffers from a serious heart condition, was one of many Belarusians imprisoned with serious health problems, suffering from a lack of access to medicines and medical assistance. “The death of Mikalai Klimovich is yet another proof of the regime’s complete disregard for peoples’ lives and rights. It also demonstrates a plain disregard of Belarus’ obligations under international law and of the calls by the international community to stop the senseless repression”, he said. (CG)