Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

March 31, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 30.

Arrested and released

Minsk police arrested Aleksei Moskalev, the Russian national who had escaped from under house arrest and fled to Belarus shortly before his trial, the SOTA Telegram channel reported. A Russian judge had sentenced Moskalev to two years in prison for his 13-year-old daughter’s anti-war protest.

A villager was arrested in the Homiel region for liking a post of an independent media outlet, Radio Svaboda reported. She has been working as a caretaker for an elderly person with a disability and also has a number of own health issues.

Infa Kurjer editor in chief Siarhiej Stankievič and his deputy Aleh Rubčenia were released after they had spent 15 days in jail for allegedly disobeying police orders, Naša Niva reported.

Trials

Authorities jailed former Połack museum head Tamara Džumantajeva and photographer Kirył Smalakoŭ for 15 days for sharing opposition content, BPN reported. Police released several other arrested history museum workers, mostly women, but seized their gadgets and set trial dates. They are accused of commenting and reacting to posts on social media and messengers, sources say.

New criminal cases

Investigators charged former prosecutor Kanstancin Prytulenka with helping a group of people to incite hatred, Naša Niva reported.

Software engineer Andrej Baranaŭ faces charges of financing terrorist activities, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. Police arrested him after searching his home on March 28.

Criminal proceedings

The Minsk Regional Court sentenced Vasil Jermakoŭ, a former employee at Bank BelVEB, to six years in prison on charges of illegal possession and handling of personal data, Viasna said.

A court in Homiel sentenced Taćciana Kurylina to four and a half years in prison for running protest chats, Radio Svaboda reported. She was also ordered to pay a fine of 3,700 rubels (about $1,300) and 23,000 rubels (over $8,000) in damages to the alleged victims. Kurylina came back to Belarus after authorities launched a campaign encouraging political emigrants to return home.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities transferred former investigator Mikita Staraženka to Prison No 3 in the Viciebsk district to serve his seven-year prison term, Viasna said. He was convicted of inciting hatred and illegal handling of personal data.

Minsk police raided the homes of activists who were collecting signatures against the construction of a cocoa processing facility at the Kamunarka candy factory.

New political prisoners

The Belarusian human rights community labeled 10 more people as political prisoners. They are persecuted for interviews with opposition media, sharing information with them and financing opposition activities.

Extremist content updates

A district court in Minsk blacklisted six articles by the Słuck-based newspaper Infa Kurjer as extremist content.

As of March 31, human rights defenders identified at least 1,475 political prisoners.