Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

December 9, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 8.

Several arrested, one released

Police arrested Michaił Kulik, Andrej Makarevič, and brothers Hleb and Hardzej Jurjeŭ who administered a local Minsk chat. Authorities accuse them of reposting opposition content and participating in protests, Naša Niva reported. The chat dates back to 2018 and has not been branded extremist.

Opposition activist and former political prisoner Illa Mironaŭ is under arrest again following his visit to the Homiel police department, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. In mid-November, he was jailed for five days on charges of distributing opposition content. In October, he was also sentenced to 18 months in prison and released in the courtroom as he had served his full term in pre-trial detention.

Authorities released Vital Zaradzej, 70, after he had served a two-year prison sentence for insulting a judge, Belsat TV reported.

Criminal proceedings

A court in Homiel sentenced Rusłan Asiatroŭ to two and a half years in prison for online comments on the 2021 shootout involving an IT engineer and KGB officers, known as the “Zielcer case,” Viasna said.

A court in Minsk sentenced Alaksandr Łoban to 21 months in prison on similar charges and released him because he had served the full term in the pre-trial detention.

The Homiel Regional Court failed to deliver a verdict in a case against Alena Kraviec accused of facilitating extremism. She did not show up for the final court hearing and is on the wanted list now. Two persons who vouched for her were fined 3,200 rubels ($1,290) and 2,840 rubels ($1,550).

A court in Minsk sentenced Vadzim Kalinin to one year in prison for allegedly insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka on Instagram, Viasna said.

The Minsk City Court adjourned the trial of trade union leaders until December 12. Authorities accuse Hienadź Fiadynič, a longtime leader of the electronic union, its acting chair Vasil Bierasnieŭ, and activist Viačasłaŭ (Vacłaŭ) Areška of inciting hatred, calling for sanctions, and creating and running an extremist group. The trial is closed to the public. 

Content branded extremist

Authorities blacklisted Zerkalo’s Instagram page and the Kastuś Kalinoŭski TikTok page as extremist content, BPN reported.

As of December 9, human rights defenders identified at least 1,438 political prisoners.