Lawyer’s extremism charge trial begins in Minsk
January 16, BPN. Lawyer Vital Brahiniec went on trial in the Minsk City Court on January 16, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.
The prosecutor accused him of creating an extremist group, calling on supporters to undermine Belarus’ national security, inciting hatred and organizing disturbances. Belarusian human rights groups said these charges were politically motivated.
The Committee for State Security (KGB) agents arrested the Brahiniec and Partners founder outside his Minsk home on May 23.
Brahiniec’s clients included Viasna’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning leader Aleś Bialacki.
He also defended fellow lawyer Andrej Mačałaŭ, but the arrest prevented him from getting the job done. On June 16, Mačałaŭ was sentenced to two years of restricted freedom, a type of home confinement, for using forged documents, a charge that he denied.
A total of six lawyers have been declared political prisoners by Belarusian rights groups.
Since the beginning of 2021, the Ministry of Justice has revoked the licenses of at least 60 counsellors. About 100 law offices were shut down, and about 400 individual lawyers stopped practicing law.
Pressure on the legal profession mounted after the 2020 election campaign. Lawyers virtually lost independence: since 2021, they can only work in legal consultancies, the heads of which are appointed in coordination with the justice ministry. In 2022, the powers of their superiors were expanded.
Alaksandr Łukašenka says lawyers should be “under control.”
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja welcomes new EU sanctionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsNew terrorist designations announcedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition urges Washington to appoint special envoy for BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityŁukašenka issues edict to detail wartime transport requisitioning proceduresThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecurityOpposition politician Łatuška welcomes EU sanctions as show of strengthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsTbilisi court rules to free Belarusian asylum seekerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy
- PoliticsInterior ministry brands one Estonian, 31 Belarusians as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsFree Belarus Museum opens new exhibition on third anniversaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyGovernment to build new pulp and paper mill in Viciebsk regionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- EconomyKlaipėda terminal keeps up pressure on Lithuanian government to resume transit of Belarus’ fertilizersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: new wave of arrests targeting 2020 protestersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SportBelarusian gymnasts to rejoin international competitionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBiełavija to open new China linkThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus and Laos sign visa exemption dealThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics