Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

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

Several arrested, one released

Minsk police arrested Siarhiej Bieły, 50, for comments about policemen, pro-government sources said. He also allegedly registered in the opposition’s Pieramoha Plan.

Musician Alaksandr Chadasievič is under arrest for comments in the Telegram messaging app and for posting on YouTube his cover version of Wind of Change by Scorpions in Belarusian featuring videos from 2020 protests, Naša Niva reported.

Authorities released Raman Smolkin after he had served in full two years of restricted freedom at an open-type correctional facility for allegedly insulting a police officer, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. He spent the last nine months in a penal colony where he was placed for alleged “regime violations.”

Criminal proceedings

The Brest Regional Court sentenced former policeman Alaksandr Sumar to nine years in prison on charges of creating an extremist group, participating in protests, slandering Alaksandr Łukašenka and calling for sanctions, Viasna reported.

A court in the Hrodna region sentenced doctor Jaŭhien Bužynski to six years in prison and a fine of 1,850 rubels (over $660) on six criminal charges, including inciting hatred, threatening public officials with violence and insulting Łukašenka, MAYDAY.TEAM reported. Earlier, authorities blacklisted him as a terrorist.

Uładzimir Bałciankoŭ from the Brest region was given three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for online comments about Łukašenka, Viasna said.

A court in Minsk sentenced Hanna Smalan to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement over 2020 protests.

A court in Brest sentenced Artur Džamburyjeŭ, 20, to two months in jail for protest graffiti, the Brest branch of Viasna reported. 

A court in the Minsk region added six months to the six-year prison term for Vasil Dzemidovič, 70, convicted over online comments, Viasna said.

The Homiel Regional Court started hearing a case against Pavel Kupryenko, a Ukrainian, and Dźmitryj Salaviančyk and Taras Mačynski, residents of the Homiel region. Authorities accuse them of spying, high treason and concealing crimes. Earlier, state-run media claimed that they were collecting and transmitting data on the location of railway junctions and military equipment movements.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities placed Darja Łosik, wife of imprisoned journalist Ihar Łosik, in pre-trial detention in Baranavičy, Brest region, pending her appeal. In mid-January, authorities sentenced her to two years in prison for giving an interview to Belsat TV deemed extremist in Belarus, Viasna said.

Extremist groups

Prosecutor General Andrej Švied petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC) an extremist group and ban its activities, BPN reported. The center, headed by journalist Stanisłaŭ Ivaškievič, specializes in investigative journalism and uncovers corruption among senior Belarusian officials.

As of February 15, human rights defenders identified at least 1,437 political prisoners.