Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

November 11, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on November 10.

New political prisoners

Belarusian human rights defenders declared 35 people, whom authorities persecuted for protests, political prisoners. They are: Daniił Vitunoŭ; Pavieł Dałhakoŭ; Siarhiej Žohła; Mikałaj Zavadski; Anton Kaściučenka; Anastasija Kizim; Ksienija Kotava; Uładzimir Łysak; Viktar Maciajkovič; Viktar Mazanik; Aleś Papkovič; Jan Papkovič; Uładzimir Paŭłaŭ; Jaŭhien Rahucki; Inha Rejdalf; Karyna Rejdalf; Vital Rybakoŭ; Alaksandr Siemaška; Artur Chłus; Kaciaryna Jakaŭleva; Dźmitryj Rusiecki; Mikita Adziniec; Siarhiej Asanovič; Jaŭhien Afanasienka; Anastasija Butkievič; Dźmitryj Hurejeŭ; Arciom Zabłocki; Anton Kamaroŭski; Alaksandr Karziuk; Andrej Kuncevič; Ryhor Paramonaŭ; Alaksiej Pratapovič; Arciom Parfienienka; Viačasłaŭ Syraježka; Pavieł Ščerbin.

Arrests

Police in Brest arrested an employee of the MTS telecom company, Andrej Cypak, for allegedly leaking data to Chernaya Kniga Belarusi (the Black Book of Belarus), a group that identifies law enforcers involved in human rights abuses, Naša Niva reported.

Police arrested entrepreneur Hienadź Biardzienieŭ  in Połack, Viciebsk region, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. He has been charged with minor offences.

Police in Minsk arrested a family of bloggers, Kaciaryna and Siarhiej Čareška. Pro-government Telegram channels said that they are accused of participating in protests.

Law enforcers arrested Aleh Nahorny, supposedly for his social media comments in support of Ukraine, the Chryścijanskaja Vizija group reported.

Trials

The Słonim District Court sentenced local resident Dzianis Voŭčak for insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka and handling personal data illegally, Viasna wrote.

A judge found Natalla Lacko, a resident of Žabinka, Brest region, guilty of defamation and sentenced her to a year in prison and a fine, Viasna said.

Maksim Dzivak, a resident of the Minsk region’s Smalavičy district, was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility, a type of home confinement, for participating in 2020 protests, Viasna reported.

Belarusian courts began hearing a number of criminal cases on November 10. In particular, political prisoner Andrej Raptunovič went on trial for planning to join Ukrainian troops. Retiree Ema Ściepulonak, faces two charges as part of the Zielcer case. Kryścina Čarankova is charged with making social media posts against the war. Uładzisłaŭ Pluščaŭ, a rock musician, faces as many as three charges, Viasna said.

A judge in Mahiloŭ sentenced a locksmith to 15 days in jail for disseminating “extremist” content. Previosly, police-linked Telegram channels published a humiliating “penitential” video of him, Viasna wrote.

Law enforcers transferred Alaksiej Fiedarkievič, who was serving a restricted freedom sentence at an open-type correctional facility for insulting a policeman, to a penal colony, further limiting his freedom, Viasna reported.

Other incidents

The interior ministry labeled the Plokhiye Novosti Belarus (Bad News Belarus) community on VK extremist content.

The interior ministry banned the popular patriotic chant “Long live Belarus!” as a Nazi salute.

The Academy of Sciences sacked Institute of Linguistics Deputy Director Siarhiej Haranin after he had served a 10-day jail sentence, Zerkalo wrote. He said that inmates were mistreated at Minsk’s detention center.

As of the morning of November 11, human rights defenders identified at least 1,423 political prisoners.