Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

January 25, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on January 23 and 24.

Arrests

Police arrested Daniił Horman, Vital Pałavinski, Vadzim Šafranski, Vital Łobač, Siarhiej Cieraškoŭ after an elaborate hoax in an opposition Telegram chat, Naša Niva reported.

Police also arrested Natalla Iljič, a mother of two, upon her return from Poland for comments in protest chats back in 2020.

Michaił Kucharčuk from Kobryn, Brest region, was arrested for writing at least 860 comments in the Telegram messaging app, the Brest branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Dźmitryj Zahaloviec from Viciebsk is under arrest for online comments, Viasna said. Authorities accuse him of calling people to build barricades, derail trains and physical violence against policemen.

Hrodna police arrested Alaksandr Pasterniak on charges of facilitating extremist activities for contacting a major opposition Telegram channel in February 2022 and reporting an alleged offensive of Belarusian troops against Ukraine, Viasna said.

Cab driver Siarhiej Charytanovič is under arrest for comments about pro-government propaganda workers.

Police also arrested Mahiloŭ engineer Illa Sazonaŭ for distributing opposition content, MAYDAY.TEAM reported. Sources say that he might be a son of Ihar Sazonaŭ, a former rector of Belarusian-Russian University.

Minsk police arrested vocal instructor Ładaryja Kuźniacova on charges of participating in protests.

Criminal cases

Viciebsk art manager and musician Uładzimir Bulaŭski faces criminal charges over pictures from 2020 protests, Viasna said. He has been arrested five times since 2020.

The Tor Band musicians Jaŭhien Burło, Dźmitryj Hałavač and Andrej Jaremčyk also face criminal charges and were placed in pre-trial detention in Homiel, Naša Niva said. On January 16, authorities blacklisted the band as an extremist group.

Teacher Jaŭhien Liviant, his daughter Hanna, wife Julija as well as Alaksiej Ivanoŭ, co-founder of Liviant’s 100 Ballov education center, are accused of participating in protests. All four remain in the detention center on Vaładarskaha Street in Minsk.

Criminal proceedings

Authorities sentenced Andrej Maconak from Hrodna to one year in prison for allegedly insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka in social media, Viasna said.

Beltelecom employee Daniił Zajac was given a two-year prison sentence over protests and alleged insults of public officials and threats of violence against police officers, Viasna reported.

A court sentenced Uładzimir Zubiec, Inha and Karyna Rejdolf to two years of restricted freedom in home confinement each over protests, while Maksim Mickievič was given the same term for critical comments about the late foreign minister Uładzimir Makiej back in 2021, Viasna said.

Brest pensioner Natalla Malec was given 18 months of restricted freedom in home confinement for online comments; and English teacher Darja Cyrkun, three years, for participating in 2020 protests, Viasna reported.

Trials

Authorities jailed former university lecturer Mikałaj Bańkoŭ and his wife Sviatłana for 15 days on charges of disorderly conduct, Viasna said.

Detention conditions

Authorities listed imprisoned former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka as “prone to hostage-taking, aggression and attacks on the prison administration” for scratching a windowsill while cutting lard, Viasna reported.

Former KGB officer Illa Trubin, sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges of arson, was placed in a punishment cell.

Extremist content updates

Authorities blacklisted the Novy Čas Telegram channel as extremist content, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

Minsk prosecutors said large online stores were selling a book by former SS officer Otto Skorzeny blacklisted as extremist in Belarus.

Other instances of persecution 

Authorities did not release cameraman Pavieł Padabied after three days had passed since his arrest, BPN reported. Pro-government sources published a photo of his BelaPAN identification card, although he has another job now. They also displayed two Nazi Germany badges, probably from his collection.

As of January 25, human rights defenders identified at least 1,437 political prisoners.