Human rights activist Mironaŭ released in courtroom, served term in pre-trial detention

October 24, BPN. The Saviecki District Court of Homiel has sentenced opposition activist Illa Mironaŭ to 18 months in prison, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Mironaŭ was released in the courtroom as he has served his full term in pre-trial detention.

Police arrested him in July 2021 on suspicion that he had committed an act of terrorism and released after eight days in jail. In September 2021, he was arrested again for posting condolences on his Facebook account in connection with the death of IT engineer Andrej Zielcer in a shootout with a KGB officer.

Authorities accused Mironov of inciting hatred and reclassified charges to financing extremist activities later.

Mironaŭ wrote over 2,500 letters of solidarity to Belarusians imprisoned in politically-motivated cases and delivered dozens of parcels to pre-trial detention facilities. He won the 2021 national award for human rights for his initiative.

The activist kept sending letters of solidarity from behind bars, but prison authorities restricted his right to receive letters.