Update on trials, politically-motivated persecution

June 30, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on June 29 as authorities kept punishing online activities.

Criminal proceedings

Kirył Bałachonaŭ, 19, Uładzisłaŭ Jefimovič, 19, and Alaksandr Rukojć, 27, went on trial in Minsk for setting up two Telegram and four TikTok accounts, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Authorities accuse them of creating an extremist group and inciting hatred.

The Minsk City Court sentenced Kirył Klimaŭ to four years in prison for donating to the opposition By_help and BySol initiatives that help people who faced politically-motivated persecution.

Trials

Uładzimir Kazłoŭ was jailed for 15 days in Viciebsk for allegedly protesting on social media, the local branch of Viasna reported. On June 19, he was given the same jail term on charges of promoting extremism online.

Extremist list update

On June 22, the Belarusian Committee for State Security (KGB) declared Ruch, an EU-based Belarusian opposition organization, an extremist group, accusing it of radical activities on social media, the interior ministry said.

Terrorist list update

The KGB also added five names to the list of people it says are involved in terrorism, among them jailed journalist Hienadź Mažejka, BPN reported.

Other instances of persecution

Authorities transferred jailed former presidential hopeful Andrej Dźmitryjeŭ to the Viciebsk penal colony, Zerkalo reported. He is currently serving a two-year prison term for allegedly participating in protests.

Jailed lawyer Vital Brahiniec, sentenced to eight years in prison on charges widely seen as politically motivated, was placed in the Škłoŭ penal colony, Viasna said.

Released

Authorities released paramedic Aleh Kraŭcoŭ after he had served a three-year prison term for participating in 2020 protests, Viasna siad.

Uładzimir Kazeka, a farmer from the Drahičyn district, Brest region, was released on June 23 after spending 43 days in jail for following opposition content, Hancavicki Čas reported.

Dźmitryj Kavalonak, sports director of FC Neman, was released a day after his arrest in Hrodna. Authorities reportedly detained him for subscribing to opposition content and participation in protests.

As of June 30, human rights defenders identified at least 1,496 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.