Trade unionist gets five years in prison for speaking to journalist

November 16, BPN. The Hrodna Regional Court has sentenced Andrej Chanievič, chair of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU) cell at the Hrodna Azot nitrogen fertilizer plant, to five years in prison, BITU press office reported.

Judge Vital Kuleš found him guilty of discrediting the state and promoting extremist activities.

Authorities arrested Chanievič in late April shortly after he had given an interview to the Warsaw-based Belsat TV channel labeled by authorities extremist. Police tapped his phone and the journalists, BITU said.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled to shut down all Belarusian independent trade unions as well as their umbrella organization, the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.

International trade union organizations have condemned the crackdown and urged authorities to immediately restore workers’ right to freedom of association.