Update on trials, politically-motivated persecution

February 27, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 25 and 26.

Trials

Authorities jailed human rights defender Alena Mirašničenka for 15 days in early February for inviting people to the launch party for a service center for homeless animals, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. It remains unclear whether she has been released.

Criminal proceedings

A court in Baranavičy, Brest region, sentenced Anatol Puhač, 28, to one year in prison for allegedly insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, Viasna said. Police arrested him in December 2022 after he had returned to Belarus for cancer treatment.

The Supreme Court will hear an appeal against the guilty verdict in the “anarchists’ case” on February 28 at a closed session, the court said. In September 2022, authorities sentenced two human rights defenders and eight anarchist activists to lengthy prison terms on charges widely seen as politically-motivated. One of them is Viasna’s volunteers coordinator Marfa (Maria) Rabkova who was given 15 years in prison.

Brothers Dźmitryj and Uładzimir Karakin from the Litesound band that represented Belarus at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest will go on trial together with their parents, Juryj Karakin and Volha Krajko, on March 10, the Saviecki District Court of Minsk said. Authorities accuse all four of participating in protests and illegal actions with firearms, ammunition and explosives. The family has been in custody since October 2022. Human rights groups consider them political prisoners.

Other instances of persecution

Aleś Papkovič, sentenced to two years in prison over protests, was transferred to a penal colony in the Viciebsk region and placed in an internal prison pending appeal, Viasna said.

Aleh Rubiec, sentenced to five and a half years in prison on charges widely seen as politically-motivated, has spent 60 days in a punishment cell in the Žodzina prison.

Release

Authorities released Dźmitryj Haŭrylin, a lead singer of the ethnic rock band Ban Žvirba, after he had served 30 days in jail, volunteer Illa Mironaŭ said.

As of February 27, human rights defenders identified at least 1,448 political prisoners.