TALLINN, Estonia — After over 700 days of being held without contact with his family, imprisoned opposition activist Viktar Babaryka has resurfaced in a video released recently. The footage was posted by a pro-government blogger just weeks ahead of a crucial election that is almost certain to extend the grip of authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko on power.

Babaryka, now 61 years old, is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a penal colony following his exclusion from the ballot against Lukashenko during the controversial 2020 elections. His last communication with the outside world occurred in February 2023, after which he was reported to have been hospitalized with visible signs of mistreatment. Since then, authorities have withheld updates about his condition and prohibited any visits from his lawyer. The European Parliament has since urged for his release along with other political prisoners.

The footage, which appeared to have been recorded under uncertain conditions, shows Babaryka appearing thinner, clad in a prison uniform marked with a yellow tag that identifies him as a political prisoner, subject to harsher prison regulations. Pavel Sapelka of the Viasna Human Rights Center commented on the timing of this release, suggesting it was a calculated move by authorities to mitigate accusations of "forced disappearances" prior to the upcoming election. "The terribly emaciated Babaryka epitomizes the nightmare of repressions in Belarus, a sad reminder for others who dare to challenge Lukashenko," Sapelka stated.

The recognized political landscape in Belarus has been grim, with Babaryka among the 1,258 political prisoners identified by Viasna, which is the country’s leading human rights organization. This includes significant figures and activists who were either imprisoned or forced into exile following extensive protests against alleged election fraud in 2020, which resulted in approximately 65,000 arrests. Reports indicate that at least seven political prisoners have died while in custody (details available through AP News).

Despite a brief pardon of some prisoners last year, reports indicate that government crackdowns have intensified in recent weeks to eliminate any dissenting voices ahead of the January 26 election, where Lukashenko is vying for a seventh consecutive term.

Notably, opposition leader-in-exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus after running against Lukashenko in 2020, remarked on Babaryka's survival, insisting on the necessity for transparency regarding others still held in isolation, including her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski. "We must now demand to see all others who have been held in complete isolation," she asserted. "The cruel and inhumane incommunicado practice must stop," she emphasized (NPR).

Additionally, Raman Pratasevich, a former journalist turned government ally after his own arrest, also shared the video footage showcasing Babaryka, although it remains unclear under what circumstances the visuals were captured. Critics argue that Pratasevich’s statements made during his appearances on state television were coerced.(Voice of America)

Babaryka's adverse experience serves as a chilling reminder of the ongoing political repression in Belarus and the plight of dissenters under Lukashenko's regime.