Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

May 18, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on May 17 with over a dozen new political prisoners and opposition content blacklisted as extremist.

Arrests

Police arrested former MP Alena Anisim at her office at the Academy of Sciences, Euroradio reported. She had chaired an association supporting the Belarusian language that was outlawed by the government.

Brest police arrested four men and recorded on video their confessions under duress, a pro-government source said. They admitted to posting online comments and signing up for the opposition Pieramoha Plan, while one of the arrested was also forced to admit to having sex with men.

Criminal proceedings

The Homiel Regional Court sentenced Viktar Jaromienka to five years in prison on charges of inciting hatred and knowingly endangering another person’s life by possibly spreading HIV infection, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. No further details of the case are available.

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by jailed doctor Jaŭhien Bužynski from Smarhoń, Hrodna region, and upheld the six-year prison sentence and a fine of 1,850 rubels ($630), MAYDAY.TEAM reported. In February, he was convicted on six criminal charges widely seen as politically motivated.

The Brest Regional Court will hear Andrej Cypak’s appeal on May 19, Viasna said. He was tried for sharing the personal data of several public officials and prosecutors with the opposition’s online project exposing the identities of people who mistreated peaceful protesters in 2020. His former cellmate told human rights defenders that Cypak was severely beaten during his arrest. Authorities have not disclosed the verdict.

The Supreme Court will hear appeals by prominent opposition activist Natalla Dulina and journalist Dźmitryj Siemčanka on May 23, the court’s electronic schedule says.

Extremist list updates

The interior ministry blacklisted the Polish-based Belarusian news website MOST, its social media as well as Rudabielskaja Pakazucha project by blogger Andrej Pavuk as extremist groups. 

New additions to the extremist content register include several Telegram channels and media outlets, among them social media accounts of railway workers’ groups, several samizdat newspapers and Belarusian diaspora communities, BPN reported.

Other instances of persecution

Police completed an investigation against six Minsk residents. Investigators say one of them ordered a Ukrainian flag with Belarusian national symbols from a seamstress in February 2022. Six months later, he and his five friends decided to display the flag publicly. The group faces charges of hooliganism, financing and assisting extremist activities and insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka.

Jaŭhien Prapolski has been in a punishment cell for 130 days, Viasna said. In July 2021, a court convicted him to eight years in prison on charges of participating in protests and intentional destruction or damage to property.

Family members of jailed journalist Dzianis Ivašyn said he missed a scheduled phone call on May 15 and fear he may be in a punishment cell, Haradzienskaja Pravaabarona said.

Inmates at the Homiel women’s penal colony risk serious allergic reactions due to midge infestation, MAYDAY.TEAM reported. Prison authorities do not allow protective gear or mosquito nets while the living quarters are constantly ventilated.

Human rights groups labeled 21 people as political prisoners, BPN reported. Charges against them range from mishandling personal data and insulting state officials to inciting hatred and conspiring to seize power.

As of May 18, human rights defenders identified at least 1,501 political prisoners.