Łukašenka strips 21 officers of ranks for backing opposition
November 18, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has signed an edict to strip 21 officers of their ranks for “committing illegal actions” during the 2020 unrest.
The edict does not name those who had their titles taken away from them. In all, the Belarusian ruler has stripped at least 183 officers of their ranks, most of them were punished for supporting his opponents before, during and after the 2020 postelection protests.
Those deprived of their ranks include Valer Sachaščyk, a former opposition security chief; imprisoned defense analysts Andrej Parontikaŭ and Jahor Lebiadok, athlete Kryscina Cimanoŭskaja, photojournalist Dźmitryj Dźmitryjeŭ who worked for the independent newspaper Novy Čas after retirement from police, Uladzimir Baradač, Siarhiej Aniśka, former KGB officer Valer Kostka, Alaksandar Azaraŭ of ByPol, United Civic Party Chairman Mikałaj Kazłou, a former police officer, and Ihar Makar, a former officer of the Almaz counter-terrorist unit.
Over 100 convicted in politically motivated cases in two weeks – Viasna
November 18, Pozirk. At least 113 people were convicted in 91 politically motivated criminal cases between November 4 and 16, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Sixty-four judges were involved in the political trials during this period. At least 10 …