Połack university professor released after serving jail term

June 5, BPN. Authorities have released Siarhiej Hłazyryn, an associate professor of law and public administration at Połack State University (PSU), after he had served 15 days in jail.

On June 2, authorities also released his colleague Alena Chramcova after she had served a 10-day jail term on similar charges.

On May 23, police arrested over a dozen PSU staff members in a large raid in Połack and Navapołack for allegedly 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.