Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

May 31, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on May 30 as authorities focused on punishing dissenters and suppressing online activities.

Arrested and released

Police arrested Andrej Husaraŭ, head of the Husaraŭ marketing agency, for allegedly sharing links to opposition content on his social media, pro-government Telegram channels said. His current whereabouts and charges against him remain unclear.

Authorities released Iryna Pryhava, 57, who had served 18 months in prison for protest and anti-war graffiti and hanging white-red-white flags and yellow and blue ribbons, the Viasna Human Rights Center said.

Andrej Šaŭčuk and Alaksandr Šaŭcoŭ were released after they had served two-and-a-half-year prison terms for participation in 2020 protests, the Homiel branch of Viasna said.

Viktar Siadoŭ, arrested in October 2020 and sentenced to three years in prison over protests, was also released.

Criminal proceedings

The Homiel Regional Court sentenced journalist Jaŭhien Mierkis to four years in prison on extremism-related charges, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported.

The same court sentenced Hleb Vietaškin to five years of restricted freedom in home confinement on charges of inciting hatred and participating in protests, Viasna reported. He has been in custody since late November 2022.

Athlete Złata Filipenka, arrested in late March, went on trial at a district court in Minsk, Viasna reported. The prosecutor accused her of participating in protests.

In early May, a judge in Lachavičy, Brest region, sentenced Siarhiej Lebiadzinski to a fine and two years of restricted freedom in home confinement for insulting a public official in online comments that he allegedly posted in 2020. The court also ordered him to pay damages to the alleged victim, according to Viasna. 

A district court in Minsk sentenced Alesia Želazoŭskaja to three years of restricted freedom in home confinement for allegedly insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, Viasna reported.

Alaksandra Sałaninka, Alaksiej Sachar, Radzivon Baravy and Uładzisłaŭ Łahucienka were given two-and-a-half-year restricted freedom terms; Alina Horava, one year; Alaksiej Cyhanoŭ, two years. Authorities persecuted them all for participation in protests, according to Viasna.

Human rights defender Anastasija Łojka will go on trial in Minsk on June 13, BPN reported. She has been in custody since late October 2022 and faces criminal charges.

Jailed student Andrej Masłaŭ will go on a new trial in Babrujsk, Mahiloŭ region, on June 6, for allegedly disobeying prison authorities, Viasna reported. He is currently serving a two-and-a-half-year prison term for his alleged intention to join a foreign army, Viasna reported.

The case against journalist Łarysa Ščyrakova was transferred to court, BPN reported. Her family said she might be charged with discrediting the state.

Extremist list updates

Belarusian courts blacklisted the social media pages of former presidential hopeful Valer Capkała as well as the Instagram page of his wife Vieranika with 25,600 followers as extremist content, BPN reported.

Other blacklisted content includes several opposition social media groups, songs by FaceOFF and the band’s Vkontakte community with some 900 participants.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities blocked access to the IT news website Dev.by, BAJ reported.

The Ministry of Justice revoked the licenses of four lawyers citing misdemeanors incompatible with their profession, BPN reported. Two of them, Juryj Kozikaŭ and Arciom Siamjanaŭ, defended prominent opposition activists currently imprisoned on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

As of May 31, human rights defenders identified at least 1,496 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.