Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

December 15, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 14.

Several arrested, one released

Police arrested a former interior ministry engineer, Pavieł Petručenia, for allegedly sharing the personal data of about 30 security officers with Chernaya Kniga Belarusi (Eng.: Black Book of Belarus), the Investigative Committee reported. The online project exposed the identities of security officers who mistreated and brutalized peaceful protesters.

Police also arrested a group of people in Viciebsk reportedly connected to the local bar ROK’I PUB, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The reasons for the arrests remain unclear.

Authorities released former Narodnaja Vola journalist Volha Kłaskoŭskaja after she had served two and a half years in prison for allegedly blocking traffic in Minsk in October 2020 and online comments about a Brest policeman.

Criminal proceedings

A court in the Hrodna region sentenced Viktar Pilžys to two years in prison for insulting police officers on social media, Viasna said. He was ordered to pay 10,000 rubels (about $3,990) in damages to the two alleged victims.

A court in the Brest region sentenced Andrej Strunc to two years of restricted freedom at an open-type correctional facility and a fine of 3,200 rubels ($1,277) for insulting police officers on Facebook.

The Minsk Regional Court started hearings in a case against defense analyst Jahor Lebiadok, accused of promoting extremism in connection with his interviews with independent media outlets, BPN reported.

The Minsk City Court is hearing a case against alleged administrators of Chernaya Kniga Belarusi behind closed doors, Viasna reported. Dźmitryj Navoša, Janina Sazanovič, Valeryja Zaniamonskaja, Daniił Bahdanovič, and Volha Vysockaja are tried in absentia in so-called special proceedings targeting activists who live abroad and evade contact with investigators.

Trials

A court in Minsk jailed human rights defender Anastasija Łojka for 15 days for a fourth consecutive time on charges of petty hooliganism, Human Constanta reported.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities rejected Eduard Babaryka’s complaint against the extension of his term in custody. Police arrested the son of former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka in June 2020 but have not charged him yet, Viktar Babaryka’s Telegram channel reported.

As of December 15, human rights defenders identified at least 1,434 political prisoners.