Ten Labor Movement activists on trial in Homiel

November 9, BPN. The trial of Rabočy Ruch (Labor Movement) activists has opened at the Homiel Regional Court, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Andrej Pahieryła, Uładzimir Žuraŭka, Siarhiej Šelest, Hanna Abłab, Alaksandr Hašnikaŭ, Siarhiej Dziuba, Ihar Minc, Valancin Cieranievič, Siarhiej Šamietka, and Alaksandr Kapšul face charges of slander, high treason, creating an extremist group and illegal actions with firearms.

Judge Alakandr Piskunoŭ presides over the trial, which is open to the public.

Authorities accuse the activists of illegally collecting confidential information on how Belarusian state-run businesses circumvent Western sanctions. They also say defendants passed that information to foreign countries and organizations, including the secret services of the USA and Lithuania.

Some of the defendants were accused of planning subversive acts at the Hrodna Azot nitrogen fertilizer plant and the Belarusian Steel Works (BMZ).

Human rights groups dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

The Rabočhy Ruch was established after the disputed 2020 presidential election as an association to defend worker rights and freedoms. In September 2021, the Committee for State Security (KGB) blacklisted it as an extremist group.