Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

June 23, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on June 22 as authorities kept punishing people for participation in protests.

Arrested and released

Police arrested an employee of XB Software, a pro-government source said. She may be charged with running an opposition Telegram channel and participating in 2020 protests.

Ivan Padlipiencaŭ is under arrest in Masty, Hrodna region, a Telegram channel monitoring politically-motivated persecution in Hrodna and the Hrodna region reported. Authorities accuse him of posting critical comments online and signing up for the opposition’s Pieramoha Plan.

Minsk police arrested pilot Dźmitryj Matkoŭski, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The reasons for the arrest are unclear.

Several persons were arrested upon their return to Belarus from Poland after security forces checked their smartphones. A woman who traveled by bus from Lithuania was also arrested at the Katłoŭka border checkpoint. Authorities have not disclosed the names of those arrested, Viasna said.

Authorities released Ihar Siamykin and Hleb Nikanovič after they had served 18 months in prison for participating in protests, the Brest branch of Viasna said.

Kirył Suslin was also released after he had served in full his two-and-a-half prison sentence for online comments, Viasna said.

New criminal cases

Several people face criminal charges in the Homiel region for online comments under a picture of a prosecutor’s office employee, the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

Criminal proceedings

A judge in Hrodna sentenced paramedic Artur Chłus to five years in prison over protests, Viasna said.

A court in Minsk sentenced Vieranika Sidarenka to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement on similar charges.

The Dobruš District Court in the Homiel region sentenced former paper mill worker Halimžan Bakiraŭ to 18 months in prison for messages in the Telegram app and participation in protests.

Detention conditions

The Škłoŭ District Court, Mahiloŭ region, ruled to transfer prominent opposition politician Pavieł Seviaryniec from the local penal colony to a prison. He is currently serving a seven-year prison term on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

Jailed art manager and musician Uładzimir Bulaŭski was transferred to Penal Colony No 2 in Babrujsk, Mahiloŭ region. In May, he was given two years in prison over protests.

Other instances of persecution

A court in Moscow extended the custody term for Belarusian nationals Kirył Baśko and Arciom Breski until August 28, Mediazona reported. They are accused of sabotage and destruction of property.

Former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka, currently serving a 14-year prison term, may have suffered a stroke and is in a serious condition, Naša Niva reported. His whereabouts and health condition remain unknown since April 28.

As of June 23, human rights defenders identified at least 1,498 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.