Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

February 18, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 17.

One arrested, several released

Hrodna police arrested businessman Andrej Alijeŭ for allegedly insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka and signing up for the opposition’s Pieramoha Plan, a pro-government source said.

Authorities released Valancin Łabačoŭ after he had served 18 months in prison for online comments on charges of insulting Łukašenka, MAYDAY.TEAM reported.

Authorities also released musician Siarhiej Daliviela after he had served two years in prison for online comments on the 2021 shootout involving an IT engineer and KGB officers, known as the “Zielcer case,” Dissidentby said.

Criminal proceedings

The Homiel Regional Court sentenced ten Rabočy Ruch (Workers’ Movement) activists to lengthy prison terms ranging from 11 to 15 years on a number of criminal charges, including high treason, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

A court in Hrodna sentenced Kirył Suslin to two and a half years in prison for online comments on the 2021 shootout involving an IT engineer and KGB officers, known as the “Zielcer case.”

The Minsk Regional Court will start hearing the criminal case against former presidential hopeful Valer Capkała on March 1 without the defendant being present, the Supreme Court said. He faces 12 criminal charges, including taking bribes, creating an extremist group, inciting hatred and calling for terrorist attacks.

Maksim Selaźnioŭ and Dźmitry Marcinkievič will go on trial in Minsk on the same day over blowing up a police car in January 2022, Viasna reported.

The Minsk City Court will start hearing the case against 18 people accused of acts of terrorism on March 6, including an alleged attack on MP Aleh Hajdukievič, BPN reported. Defendants include Vadzim Prakopjeŭ, one of the founders of the Belarusian volunteer regiment Pahonia fighting Russia in Ukraine, and former police officers Ihar Čamiakin and Dzianis Chamicevič. All three are based outside Belarus and will be tried in absentia.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities charged human rights defender Anastasija Łojka with an offense against public order and incitement to hatred over her report about the persecution of Belarusian anarchists, critical of the police, Human Constanta reported. If found guilty, Łojka may be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.

Minsk tour guide Valeryja Čarnamorcava might have left Belarus, Viasna said. In January, authorities sentenced her to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement.

Extremist list updates

The Belarusian interior ministry has blacklisted 26 more people as extremists, taking their total to 2,442, BPN reported. The new additions include people convicted in politically-motivated cases, including journalist Alaksandr Lubiančuk and Mikałaj Bredzieleŭ, ex-spokesman for the Austria-owned A1 telecommunications company.

Extremist content updates

Authorities blacklisted a number of opposition social media pages as well as a website and pages linked to the outlawed Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaja Hramada) and its leader Mikałaj Statkievič, BPN reported.

As of February 18, human rights defenders identified at least 1,443 political prisoners.