EU delegation employee Chiła sentenced to four years in prison – Politico

January 9, Pozirk. A Belarusian court sentenced Baptist preacher Mikałaj Chiła, an employee of the EU Delegation in Belarus, to four years in prison late last year, Politico reported.
It quotes Anitta Hipper, an EU spokeswoman on foreign affairs and security policy, who called for his immediate and unconditional release on December 18.
Investigators may have accused Chiła of insulting Alaksandar Łukašenka after arresting him in Minsk in April 2024, the website reported, citing the Viasna Human Rights Center.
It also cited an unnamed EU official saying that KGB agents arrested the man in front of the EU office in Belarus.
According to the Belarusian e-justice portal, authorities charged Chiła with calling for sanctions and inciting hatred and put him on trial at the Minsk City Court.
Human rights activists declared him a political prisoner.
Also read: Reprisals: 20 branded “extremists,” 10 declared political prisoners
- Politics, SecurityMinsk did not warn Vilnius of illegal balloons – Lithuanian ministerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish MEP urges Łukašenka's trial in The HagueThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarusian and Ukrainian men detained in Tbilisi over large-scale drug traffickingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SecurityLithuanian prime minister issues warning over cigarette-smuggling balloonsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja urges EU to stay firm on sanctions against MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityBelarus’ border guards find body near Latvian borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsExiled politician set to prosecute suspect over death threatsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMEPs suggest tougher sanctions against Łukašenka regimeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Security
- PoliticsOpposition leader to address European ParliamentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: phone checks, interrogations at borders continueThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyUkraine sentences man who organized trips to occupied territories via BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society, SportBelarusian neutral skiers banned from Olympic qualifiersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarusian ambassador presents credentials to Brazil’s presidentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSweden’s new envoy meets with Belarus’ pro-democracy politician in WarsawThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights activists name 14 more political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society, Sport
- EconomyPolish border guards arrest three Belarusians on suspicion of cigarette smugglingThe material is available only to POZIRK+