Update on trials, politically-motivated persecution

June 27, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on June 26 with seven new political prisoners and more content labelled extremist.

Trials

A district judge in Drahičyn, Brest region, fined a man 555 rubels (over $180) for saying prayers out loud in a public park without permission from local authorities, Mediazona reported citing the published court ruling. The man was prosecuted for alleged violations of holding mass events. Medizona identified that man as Baptist believer Uładzimir Burštyn from Antopal.

A court in Połack, Viciebsk region, fined flower business owner Taćciana Kandrackaja 4,440 rubles (over $1,470) for sharing opposition posts and displaying a Ukrainian flag on her social media accounts, the Viciebsk branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Criminal proceedings

On June 23, the Minsk City Court rejected an appeal by former presidential hopeful Andrej Dźmitryjeŭ against the 18-month prison sentence imposed on him for alleged participation in protests, Dźmitryjeŭ’s Facebook page said.

Former prosecutor Kanstancin Prytulenka will go on trial in Mahiloŭ on July 5, Viasna reported. Authorities accuse him of inciting hatred and illegal handling of personal data for allegedly sharing personal data of several security officers with an opposition online project.

On June 8, a judge in Dziaržynsk, Minsk region, sentenced Natalla and Mikałaj Hubin to one year and 18 months of restricted freedom, respectively, for alleged participation in 2020 protests, Viasna said. They are to serve their terms in home confinement.

Extremist content update

A court in Minsk blacklisted two social media pages of Russian volunteers fighting on the Ukrainian side as extremist content, the information ministry said. Other blacklisted content includes pages by Eto Minsk, detka project as well as the Twitter and YouTube accounts of Viasna’s local branches in Viciebsk and Homiel, respectively.

New political prisoners

Human rights groups declared seven people political prisoners, BPN reported. They were accused of or sentenced on charges of participating in protests. 

Released

Authorities released web designer Hleb Kojpiš after he had served two years of restricted freedom at an open-type correctional facility for participating in protests. At the end of his sentence, a court ruled to transfer him to a penal colony, the Pravo Imeyut Telegram channel reported.

As of June 27, human rights defenders identified at least 1,500 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.