Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

December 7, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 6.

Arrested and released

Police arrested Minsk businessman Ivan Tyščanka for driving a car with a slipper attached to it and the sign Stop Tarakan (Stop the Cockroach, a popular opposition slogan from the 2020 electoral campaign). Authorities accuse him of participating in protests and signing up to the opposition’s Pieramoha Plan, pro-government sources said.

Authorities released Mikałaj Fedarenka after he had served his sentence of 18 months of restricted freedom at an open-type correctional facility. He was accused of participating in protests in Brest in September 2020.

Criminal proceedings

A court in Hrodna sentenced Siarhiej Nialepka to nine years in prison, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. He faced a number of criminal charges, including participating in protests, insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, and inciting hatred. Police claim he signed up for the Pieramoha Plan and was a member of opposition chats. In December, the Committee for State Security (KGB) blacklisted him as a terrorist.

A court in Homiel sentenced former teacher Iryna Abdukieryna to four years in prison and a fine of 3,200 rubels (about $1,290), Viasna said. Authorities persecuted her for sharing pictures of Russian military equipment with the Biełaruski Hajun Telegram channel that monitors military activity in Belarus. Human rights groups consider her a political prisoner.

A court in Minsk sentenced Valancin Mickievič to three years of restricted freedom in home confinement on charges of participating in protests, Viasna reported. His wife Dzijana is currently serving two and a half years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility on similar charges. Human rights groups declared the couple political prisoners.

“Rail partisans” Siarhiej Plaškun and Juryj Selvič went on trial behind closed doors in Homiel, Viasna reported. Prosecutors accused them of monitoring movements of Russian military equipment and preparing terrorist acts. Sabotage on the Belarusian railway started after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 as a form of antiwar protest. The goal was to slow down the transportation of Russian military equipment through Belarus to the warzone.

 The Brest Region’s Prosecutor’s Office sent to court a criminal case against Darja Łosik, the wife of imprisoned blogger and RFE/RL freelancer Ihar Łosik, BPN reported. Authorities accuse her of promoting extremism by giving an interview to the banned Poland-based Belsat TV channel.

The Supreme Court upheld a five-year prison sentence given to journalist Iryna Słaŭnikava for alleged participation in protests, Belsat TV reported.

Other instances of persecution

Maryja Kaleśnikava was hospitalized with peritonitis, a complication of a perforated ulcer, the imprisoned opposition politician told her father Alaksandr Kaleśnikaŭ, Viktar Babaryka’s campaign reported. Prison authorities allowed them to meet for 10 minutes at the prison’s medical ward.

Authorities transferred Aleh Jafremienka to Horki Penal Colony No 9 in Mahiloŭ region. He had been serving four and a half years in prison for alleged violence against a policeman, but received one more year in prison in August for allegedly disobeying prison authorities.

A school in Biaroza, Brest region, terminated contract with Belarusian language teacher and former principal Mikałaj Žukovič over his refusals to falsify the 2020 presidential election results in his district and send teachers to pro-government rallies, Viasna reported citing local sources.

Content blacklisted as extremist

The Minsk Prosecutor’s Office blacklisted the Dvizheniye Bolshinstva (Majority Movement) Telegram channel, its chat and chat bot as extremist content, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

As of December 7, human rights defenders identified at least 1,441 political prisoners.