Update on trials, arrests, criminal proceedings

September 14, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on September 13.

Arrests

Defense lawyers Michaił Markaŭ and Anastasija Sahanovič were arrested shortly after the trial of anarchists and rights advocates and face criminal charges for allegedly disclosing officials’ personal data, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The interior ministry says they passed the names and home addresses of police officers, investigators, prosecutors, and judges involved in the case to initiatives deemed extremist, and the data were later posted online.

Połack-based opposition activist Viktar Stukaŭ was arrested to serve a 15-day term in jail. In April he was convicted over a repost of a Belsat TV video. After his arrest, a court in Połack sentenced him to a second 15-day term for participation in an unsanctioned rally, Viasna reported.

Historian Jaŭhien Hyrunaŭ was arrested and faces criminal charges for participation in protests. He worked as a project coordinator for the Aniv Foundation, promoting Armenian studies and has an Armenian award, Naša Niva reported.

Trials

Naftan oil refinery employees Siarhiej Cicienka and Andrej Vasiljeŭ, both arrested in late August, were jailed for 15 days for the distribution of content labeled by authorities extremist. Cicienka was given another 15 days in jail on the same charge, according to Viasna.

Alaksiej Chilkievič and Raman Łabanaŭ, both accused in a politically-motivated case, were sentenced to three years in prison each for sending out emails to election commissions with calls to count the votes honestly. Both were arrested in mid-February.

Tiktoker Alaksiej Bondar, username lexmask with over 60,000 subscribers, was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility on charges of gross violations of public order, Viasna reported. This type of sentence implies that people are confined to their residence during non-working hours and are required to retain or seek employment. Police can visit them anytime to make sure they comply with the terms of confinement.

Pavieł Sińkoŭ from Minsk was sentenced to two and a half years of restricted freedom on similar charges. He participated in one of the 2020 protest rallies and was released on bail of 9,600 rubels (over $3,700) before the trial.

Spouses Alena and Andrej Barmut and the latter’s sister Volha Rachuba were given three years of restricted freedom for gross violations of public order. Allegedly the police found evidence of their guilt in social media messages and pictures they shared with each other, Viasna reported.

Sviatłana Kindziel, another 2020 protests participant, as well as Ala and Vasil Ramanenka, received the same sentence on similar charges. Alaksandra Antonenka, Ala Ramanenka’s niece, was given two years.

Aliaksei Bižko, a mechanic at the Minsk Tractor Plant, was sentenced to 18 months of restricted freedom over protests.

Ihar Arciuch, 37, was sentenced to three years in prison in the politically-motivated case for online comments on the 2021 shootout involving an IT engineer and KGB officers, known as the “Zielcer case.” He was arrested in October 2021 and kept in the Žodzina prison, Viasna reported.

Other cases of persecution

Siarhiej Cichanoŭski, husband of the opposition leader Sviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, has been kept in a punishment cell of the Žodzina prison for over three weeks, the Tyurma dlia zhizni Telegram channel reported.

Vasil Bierasneŭ, 72, an independent trade union activist held in a detention center in Minsk, does not receive qualified medical care. Ha had one kidney removed in 2018 due to cancer and now complains of kidney pain, Viasna said.

As of September 14, human rights defenders identified at least 1,328 political prisoners.