Belarusian activists recognize five more political prisoners

May 7, BPN. Belarusian human rights activists have added five convicts in a criminal case of the People’s Self-Defense Units (OGSB), an alleged extremist group, to the list of political prisoners, bringing the total number to 1,492.

The Viasna Human Rights Center and other groups said that the five were sentenced to prison terms of 13 to 20 years on charges of illegal actions with weapons, extremism and terrorism.

The activists said the trial was unfair and arguably based on confessions obtained under torture. Previous reports suggest that the only sources of information against the defendants were official statements and a propaganda film on state TV.

The defendants were accused of plotting to blow up a Russian communications center in the Minsk region, destroy logging equipment and murder a TV journalist.

Human rights defenders demanded their release and an end to political reprisals in Belarus.

The newly designated political prisoners are:

1. Natalla Maćviejeva
2. Vadzim Hulevič 
3. Kirył Ašurak
4. Alaksiej Hłotaŭ
5. Dźmitryj Sasnoŭski