One more foreigner convicted of espionage – Viasna

August 27, Pozirk. The Brest Regional Court has convicted Dźmitryj Šłethauer (name as received) of extremism and espionage, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.
The human rights group said authorities usually press espionage charges against foreigners or stateless people.
The closed-door trial occurred a few months ago, but the Supreme Court website has not reported it, which is unusual. The sentence is unknown.
The Supreme Court will hear the appeal against the sentence on August 30.
According to Viasna, Belarus has sentenced three people on politically motivated charges of espionage since 2020: Polish national Tomasz Bieroza, and Ukrainian nationals Andrii Shmai and Nataliia Zakharenko.
On June 28, officials handed Zakharenko over to Ukraine under a prisoner swap.
In 2022–2023, Belarusian counterintelligence agents arrested 16 foreigners, according to Ivan Tertel, chairman of the Committee for State Security (KGB).
On June 24, the Minsk Regional Court sentenced German national Rico Krieger to death. The judge found him guilty of illegal handling of firearms; deliberate disabling of a vehicle or lines of communication; association with an extremist group; committing an act of terrorism; conducting covert operations; and mercenarism.
Alaksandar Łukašenka later pardoned Krieger, and authorities handed him over under a prisoner swap involving Russia and the United States.
Belarus is holding at least 25 nationals of Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in detention for political reasons, Viasna said in a report on July 1.

Opposition group says Russian spy freed in prisoner swap visited twice
- Economy
- PoliticsBelarus’ envoy seeks direct air link with VenezuelaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus-EU irregular crossings surpass 2024 total by September 16The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyAt least nine Belarusians detained in US immigration casesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLatvia bans night flights near shared borders with Belarus, Russia until October 8The material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyNumber of Belarusian expats in Lithuania down 10 percent since year’s startThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsReprisals: rights groups label journalist, 16 others as political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsŁukašenka comments on Statkievič’s disappearanceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SportŁukašenka changes rules for financing of sports federations, clubsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecuritySix Belarusian-registered aircraft remain under US sanctionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SecurityBelarusian teen released as witness in Warsaw drone caseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarusian television broadcasts interview with Russian occupation officialThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityNausėda: UAV that flew into Lithuania was stray Russian drone targeting UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyBiełstat: industrial inventories up 36 percent in January-AugustThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, Society