Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

May 20, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on May 19 with participation in protests and writing critical comments being the most common charges. 

Arrests

Police summoned about ten train drivers in Baranavičy, Brest region, and persecuted some of them for online comments, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Those charged were reportedly fired.

Mikałaj Mielnik from Minsk is under arrest and faces criminal charges for writing anti-war comments and participating in protests, a pro-government source said.

Police also arrested an IT engineer upon his return to Belarus from Poland and filed criminal charges for online comments.

Criminal proceedings

Jaŭhien Liviant, a prominent tutor and co-founder of 100 Ballov education center, went on trial at the Maskoŭski District Court in Minsk, BPN reported. Authorities accuse him, his wife Julija, daughter Hanna, son-in-law Mikita Drozd, and business partner Alaksiej Ivanoŭ of participating in protests.

The Brest Regional Court sentenced Alaksandr Hurnik, 42, to five years in prison for allegedly participating in protests, creating an extremist group and insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, Viasna reported.

The Minsk City Court rejected the appeals by Aksana Zareckaja, a member of the Coordinating Council for Political Crisis Settlement, and advertising specialist Bahdan Karaviec, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported. In March they were sentenced to 18 months and two years in prison, respectively, in connection with peaceful post-election protests.

Athlete Złata Filipienka, 20, will go on trial in Minsk on May 30, Viasna reported. Authorities accuse her of participating in protests.

Trials

Surgeon Michaił Pačkoŭski and urologist Pavieł Stelmakoŭ from the Navapołack city hospital in the Viciebsk region were jailed for 15 days, the Belye Chalaty (White Coats) initiative reported. Authorities also jailed paramedic Natalla Piervianionak and head of the gynecology department Iryna Vasiljeva for 10 days and fined ultrasound doctor Ala Stalmakova 3,700 rubels (over $1,260).

New political prisoners

Belarusian human rights groups declared 28 people, including 16 women, accused or convicted of public order offenses, as political prisoners, says a joint statement on Viasna’s website.

Terrorist list updates

The Committee for State Security (KGB) updated its list of “persons involved in terrorist activities,” BPN reported. A mother and daughter sentenced to prison terms for sharing data with an opposition project are among the additions. 

Other instances of persecution

On May 18, authorities inspected the open-type correctional facility No 55 in Minsk, Viasna reported noting that at least one inmate was placed into custody.

Jailed anarchist activist Dźmitryj Duboŭski, currently serving a 20-year term in the Viciebsk region, was transferred to a closed prison after two months in a punishment cell.

There has been no news from jailed Viasna’s leader and Nobel Prize winner Aleś Bialacki for 25 days, BPN reported. In early March, a court in Minsk sentenced him to 10 years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

As of May 20, human rights defenders identified at least 1,525 political prisoners.