Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

February 6, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 4 and 5.

Arrests, searches and releases

Police raided homes and made several arrests in Lepiel, Viciebsk region, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Most of the arrested were released after a talking-to. Authorities also fined a young man with a disability for allegedly distributing opposition content.

In late January, police also rounded up about 20 people in Fanipal, Minsk region, over 2020 protests, pro-government sources said.

Opposition activist Mikałaj Čarnavus Jr. from Baranavičy, Brest region, remains in custody 72 hours after his arrest, Viasna said. The reasons for his arrest and charges against him remain unclear.

Authorities released Andrej Mielnikaŭ, a singer and songwriter from Homiel, after he had served 10 days in jail on charges of distributing opposition content.

New criminal cases

Authorities filed criminal charges against cameraman Pavieł Padabied but did not disclose any further details, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported. He was transferred to Detention Center No 1 on Vaładarskaha Street in Minsk after serving a 15-day jail term for allegedly sharing opposition content.

Criminal proceedings

Natalla Dulina, former Minsk State Linguistic University associate professor and one of Belarus’ leading experts in the Italian language, will go on trial on February 7, Naša Niva reported. Authorities accuse her of promoting extremism. She remains in custody since October 2022.

Detention conditions

Jailed philosopher Uładzimir Mackievič has spent one month out of his three-month punishment in the penal colony’s internal prison, his colleagues said on Facebook. He is currently serving a five-year prison term on charges widely seen as politically-motivated.

As of February 6, human rights defenders identified at least 1,432 political prisoners.