Połack university lecturer released after serving jail term

June 2, BPN. Authorities have released Alena Chramcova, a lecturer at the Department of World Literature and Foreign Languages at Połack State University (PSU), after she had served 10 days in jail.

Police arrested her on May 23 during a large raid in Navapołack, Viciebsk region, for following an opposition Telegram channel. Authorities also searched her home and confiscated all electronic devices under the pretext that she was a witness in a criminal case.

On the following day, judge Zinaida Bałabołava jailed Chramcova on charges of sharing content that Belarusian authorities deem extremist. Chramcova’s colleague, Halina Šarahłazava, was given the same term on similar charges.

On May 23, police arrested over a dozen PSU staff members, including Siarhiej Hłazyryn, an associate professor of public administration, and Viktar Čaraŭko, an associate professor of history. Both were sentenced to 15 days for sharing opposition content.

Two days later, a judge in Połack sent Alaksandr Šaŭcoŭ, the Belarusian Greek Catholic Church’s priest, to jail for 15 days on similar charges.

The crackdown on university staff came days after police arrested and jailed several doctors from the Navapołack City Hospital following a leak about the hospitalization of former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka. Five of them were punished with administrative arrests.

In late March, another series of arrests targeted local history museum workers. Some of them served jail terms for alleged minor offenses, including subscribing to and sharing content critical of the government.