Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

February 16, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 15.

Arrests and releases

Police raided several homes in Svietłahorsk, Homiel region, and arrested at least seven local residents, including eco-activist Anatol Źmitrovič and Taćciana Žuraŭskaja who helps HIV-infected people, the Homiel branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Plastic surgeon Alaksiej Dužy was jailed for 15 days, the Belye Chalaty (White Coats) initiative reported. The charges against him remain unclear.

Authorities released former policeman Dźmitryj Kulakoŭski who had served in full a two-year prison term for allegedly insulting a public official, Viasna said.

Authorities also released Anatol Chinievič, sentenced to two and a half years in prison for resisting a police officer, and Hanna Baran, who served 18 months in prison over 2020 protests in Brest.

Criminal proceedings

A court in Brest sentenced doctor Maksim Zajcaŭ to two years in prison and fined him 3,700 rubels (over $1,330) for two comments in the Telegram messenger app, Viasna said.

Former bank employee Vasil Jermakoŭ went on trial at the Minsk Regional Court on February 13 for allegedly passing information to Chernaya Kniga Belarusi (Eng.: Black Book of Belarus), an online project exposing the identities of security officers who mistreated and brutalized peaceful protesters.

The verdict in a case against ten Rabočy Ruch (Workers’ Movement) activists is to be announced on February 17, Rabočy Ruch reported. They face several politically-motivated charges, including establishing an extremist group. One of them, Alaksandr Kapšul, has been on a hunger strike for 47 days.

Journalist Raman Pratasievič will go on trial at the Minsk Regional Court together with Ściapan Puciła, Nexta media project founder, and journalist Jan Rudzik, both of whom will be tried in absentia, BPN reported. Pratasievič remains under house arrest in Belarus as he reportedly accepted a plea bargain. Authorities accuse them of forming an extremist group, staging mass riots, calling for the seizure of power and other crimes punishable by long prison sentences. 

The Minsk City Court will start hearing a case against lawyer Alaksandr Danilevič on March 10, the court’s schedule says. Authorities accused him of promoting extremism and calling for sanctions.

Other instances of persecution

Police raided the offices and seized equipment from Intex Press, an independent media outlet based in Baranavičy, Brest region. Since 2021, the newspaper has not come out in print and was distributed only in electronic form. Authorities restored access to its website on February 9.

Dźmitry Kubaraŭ, currently serving an eight-year prison term in Navapołatsk, Viciebsk region, is denied medical care, Viasna said. Prison authorities keep placing him in a punishment cell and internal prison and might transfer him from a penal colony to prison in the future.

Jaŭhien Batura, sentenced to two years of restricted freedom over protests, started serving his term at an open-type correctional facility in Mahiloŭ.

A court in Viciebsk will decide whether to end Michaił Žamčužny’s post-release supervision. In 2014, he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on three criminal charges widely seen as politically motivated. He has been under police supervision since his release in 2021.

Extremist list updates

The Belarusian interior ministry blacklisted independent media outlet Malanka Media as an extremist group, BPN reported.

Terrorist list updates

The Committee for State Security (KGB) added Aleh Zavadzki, Valancin Dubroŭščyk and Siarhiej Hrybovič to its register of individuals and entities involved in “terrorist activity,” its website says. Authorities accused them of inciting hatred.

As of February 16, human rights defenders identified at least 1,433 political prisoners.