Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

July 25, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 24 with more arrests reported for participation in 2020 protests.

Arrests

Minsk police arrested university lecturers Nadzieja Staravojtava and Natalla Sivickaja for participation in protests and following opposition content, a pro-government source said.

Trials

Forestry workers Dźmitryj Vasilenka and Viktoryja Kazun, accused of sharing opposition content, will be tried in Tałočyn, Viciebsk region, the Viciebsk branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Authorities have not disclosed the date of the trial. Kazun is a mother of three.

Criminal proceedings

A judge in Minsk sentenced jailed musician Mikita Najdzionaŭ to three years of restricted freedom in home confinement for alleged participation in 2020 post-election protests, Radyjo Svaboda reported.

A court in Brest has tried Jaŭhien Bilibroŭka but has not disclosed the verdict, bgmedia.site reported. The state prosecutor requested a one-year prison term for him for allegedly insulting Alaksandar Łukašenka.

Michaił Miakieka went on trial in Hrodna, BPN reported. Police arrested him in December 2022 after his return from Poland and accused him of inciting hatred, participating in protests and slandering Łukašenka.

Other instances of persecution

The administration of Hłybokaje’s Penal Colony No 13 returned a small parcel to Maryna Adamovič that she mailed to her jailed husband Mikałaj Statkievič. The opposition politician is currently serving a 14-year prison term on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

Authorities blocked access to the online library kamunikat.org for Belarus-based users, BPN reported.

The information ministry also blocked access to the local news website brestnote.by citing extremism-related content in its archive, bgmedia.site reported.

New political prisoners

Belarusian human rights groups labeled 11 more people as political prisoners, Viasna said. Most were arrested or sentenced to various prison terms for donations to opposition initiatives.

As of July 25, human rights defenders identified at least 1,482 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.