Update on trials, arrests, detention conditions

September 7, BPN. New cases of political persecution were documented in Belarus on September 6.

Trials

The Minsk City Court sentenced human rights defender Marfa Rabkova to 15 years in prison and her colleague Andrej Čapiuk to six years, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Eight anarchist activists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, among them Alaksandr Franckievič who received 17 years; Akichira Hajeŭski-Chanada, 16 years; and Alaksiej Hałaŭko, 12 years. Pavieł Špietny, Mikita Draniec, and Alaksandr Kaźlanka were given six years each; Andrej Marač and Daniła Čul, five years each.

A court in Minsk sentenced trade union activist Ihar Lednik, 61, to three years in prison for publishing an article allegedly containing “deliberately false, disgraceful and humiliating information” about Alaksandr Łukašenka.

The Baranavičy District Court sentenced powerlifter Uładzimir Branavicki to one year in prison on charges of hooliganism for hanging out “protest symbols.” Human rights defenders declared him a political prisoner.

Mikita Ślepianok, who administered the culture and history channel Rezystans on Telegram, was sentenced to three years in prison for creating an “extremist” group.

The BelaPAN trial will resume on September 12 after a break of over two months, BPN reported.

Arrests and releases

At least 13 people, including a diplomat and family members of the defendants, were arrested near the Minsk City Court after the Rabkova trial. Most of them were released on the same day except for Daniił Krašeŭski and human rights defender Anastasija Łojka, Viasna and Naša Niva reported.

Rock musician Viktar Žarkievič was arrested in Minsk. In a video posted by the police, he is handcuffed and forced to hold a fridge door with protest stickers and national symbols in his hands.

A resident of Lida, Hrodna region, was arrested for subscription to a banned Telegram chat and calling for protests, pro-government Telegram channels reported.

Alaksiej Zikiejeŭ and Safija Małaševič, imprisoned on politically-motivated charges, have served out full terms and were released, human rights groups reported.

Uładzimir Celiapun, a human rights defender from Mazyr, Homiel region, was jailed for 10 days for disseminating calls to extremism, Viasna reported.

Detention conditions

Alaksiej Ivančykaŭ, an opposition activist serving two and a half years in a Mahilou prison on politically-motivated charges for alleged violence or threat of violence against a policeman, was denied the right to receive parcels and transferred to a stricter regime, Viasna said.

Other cases of persecution

Authorities have issued a freeze order as they prepare to seize the Minsk apartment of the Belarusian opposition leader Sviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and her husband, Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, blogger and former presidential hopeful now serving a lengthy prison term, Cichanoŭskaja said in her Telegram channel.

As of September 7, human rights defenders identified at least 1,322 people persecuted on clearly political grounds.