Woman jailed on return to Belarus remains in custody

February 23, BPN. Authorities have not released Alaksandra Kasko, jailed on February 10 for 10 days on her return to Belarus, the Grodno_grab Telegram channel reported.

Authorities accused her of distributing opposition content.

In 2022 and early 2023, police arrested at least 59 people who returned to Belarus from abroad, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. At least 10 of them were given prison terms of one to five years, four were sentenced to restricted freedom in home confinement and seven face criminal charges.

Authorities accused some of them of minor offences, sentencing them to jail terms or fines.

On January 6, Alaksandr Łukašenka signed an edict to offer Belarusians some guarantees against persecution on return from abroad. Returnees were encouraged to apply for leniency to a commission headed by the prosecutor general.