Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

November 17, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on November 16.

Arrests and releases

Police arrested student Maksim Mickievič for an online comment about Foreign Minister Uładzimir Makiej in a Telegram chat, the Brest branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Walter Goma, an employee of Minsk’s Grand Cafe with African origins, is under arrest for participating in protests, BPN reported. Police filmed his interrogation and posted the video with a racist soundtrack on pro-government Telegram channels.

Post office employee Larysa Tankaškur is under arrest again, Viasna said. In early 2021, she served three months in jail for sharing police officers’ data in a protest Telegram chat. After her release, she allegedly forwarded her judge’s and prosecutor’s data to Chernaya Kniga Belarusi (Eng.: Black Book of Belarus), an online project exposing the identities of security officers who mistreated and brutalized peaceful protesters.

Authorities released Jaŭhien Kislejka who had served 18 months of restricted freedom at an open-type correctional facility, as well as Vadzim Chižniakoŭ and Michaił Jafimavič (two and a half years in prison), dissidentby reported. All three had served their full sentences on charges widely seen as politically-motivated.

Trials and criminal proceedings

Authorities fined Viciebsk journalist Žana Žalevič 3,200 rubels (about $1,325) for “picketing in social media,” Viasna said.

Andrej Kaściukievič, 41, will serve two and a half years in home confinement for insulting a public official. He also has to pay 9,500 rubels (about $3,930) in damages to five alleged “victims.”

Former border guard Arciom Sakaŭ, sentenced to 16 years in prison in the high-profile “Cichanoŭski case,” was transferred from the Škłoŭ penal colony to the Mahiloŭ prison. He has been held at the colony’s internal prison since August.

A court sentenced Kryścina Čarankova to two and a half years in prison for online comments. Human rights groups declared her a political prisoner. 

Serviceman Fiodar Parecki is under a three-month arrest for participation in 2020 protests.

Barys Kim received four and a half years in prison on charges of inciting hatred and creating an extremist group.

Authorities sentenced Alaksandr Ajnutdzinaŭ to 25 months in prison for intentions to fight Russia in Ukraine.

Other instances of persecution

At least 205 healthcare professionals have lost their jobs for political reasons, the Belye Chalaty Telegram channel reported. At least 17 people face criminal charges, with penalties ranging from 18 months of restricted freedom to six years in prison.

As of November 17, human rights defenders identified at least 1,417 political prisoners.