New politically motivated arrests, persecution of activists in Belarus

August 23, BPN. The police arrested 14 people in Belarus on August 22, among them Alaksandra Kandracienka, a student at the Belarusian State University, Minsk businessman Jaŭhien Kanavalenka, Hrodna Azot employee Ihar Stefanovič, Maryja Rastoŭcava, Hienadź Drazdoŭ, and Viktar Maciejkovič.

Artist Natalla Karnejeva and her husband were also arrested, while their underage daughter was sent to an orphanage.

Minsk restaurant business owner Siarhiej Mirharadski together with his wife Ala and son Serafim, Illa Ščahaloŭ, Alaksiej Ananič, and former beauty queen Darja Reut were arrested for participation in the 2020 post-election protests.

Dźmitryj Kunusaŭ from Minsk got three years in prison on charges of insulting a public official and inciting hatred. Video blogger Andrej Bialaŭski was sentenced to two years in prison for insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka. Alaksiej Maciavin and Maksim Platnioŭ were sentenced to 18 months in prison each, for insulting Łukašenka and damaging public property, respectively. Human rights groups declared all of them political prisoners.

Dźmitry Dzikun, charged under a number of Criminal Code articles and blacklisted by the authorities as a terrorist, was placed in a punishment cell.

Singer Meryjem Hierasimenka, sentenced to 15 days jail over performance of Ukrainian songs in a bar, was given 10 more days in jail.

Telegram channel Minskaya Semiboyarshchina was declared extremist content.