Update on trials, arrests, politically-motivated persecution

September 27, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on September 26.

Arrests

Police arrested former investigator Ivan Jančuk, 26, on suspicion that he passed information about his colleagues to opposition Telegram channels, Naša Niva reported. He may face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.

Hrodna police arrested Anita Bakunovič, 19. In late June, she was sentenced to two years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility for participating in protests. 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.

Hrodna Azot employee Juryj Choład is under arrest for subscribing to the opposition Telegram channels and sharing their content, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Trials

Hrodna resident Dźmitryj Januškievič, 33, will spend one year in prison for posting an image of Alaksandr Łukašenka with a swastika on social media.

Maładziečna musician Alaksandr Kazakievič received two years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility for insulting a police officer.

Other instances of persecution

Aleś Bialacki, the head of the Viasna Human Rights Center, and his associates Valancin Stefanovič and Uładzimir Łabkovič have been charged with smuggling and financing riots. The tax evasion case against them has been dropped, while the new charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.

Anatol Łatuška, a cousin of the prominent opposition politician Pavieł Łatuška, was sentenced to six years in prison. Human rights defenders learned that he was tortured and severely beaten in custody. 

The Committee for the State Security (KGB) added Valeryj Ziza and Siarhiej Łabanok, convicted on charges of inciting hatred, to its list of persons involved in terrorist activities. There are 915 people on the KGB’s “terrorist” list, among them 174 Belarusian nationals with links to the opposition.

Mikałaj Kazłoŭ, chair of the United Civic Party (UCP), was beaten in detention, while communication with him remains sporadic, said opposition politician Anatol Labiedźka.

A court in Hrodna blacklisted ten Instagram accounts as extremist, including accounts of the Coordinating Council for Political Crisis Settlement, two Strana Dlia Zhizni pages and smaller accounts run by students, women, independent trade unions, and Belarusians in Germany and Poland, BPN reported.

As of September 26, human rights defenders identified at least 1,342 political prisoners.