Belarus: Prisoner for Peace Valentin Shtermer Has Died in Custody

Valentin Shtermer, a political prisoner sentenced for anti-war comments and criticism of Lukashenko’s militarist policies and involvement in the war against Ukraine, has died in prison.

The exact date, place, and circumstances of his death remain unknown.

According to testimony from a former inmate, Shtermer arrived at the penal colony after suffering a stroke and was in extremely poor condition. Despite this, authorities placed him in a punishment cell (SHIZO).

In 2023, Shtermer was sentenced to five years in prison for peaceful anti-war statements on social media. He was also added to Belarus’s official lists of “extremists” and “terrorists.”

He was 61 or 62 years old. Originally from Ukraine, he had been living and working in Homel (Belarus) in recent years.

 We remember Valentin Shtermer — a man who spoke out against war and paid the ultimate price for peace.