At least 125 arrested on return to Belarus in 2023
The Belarusian border is a scene of arrests and pushbacks.
December 24, Pozirk. Authorities arrested at least 125 people on their return to Belarus in 2023, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.
Most of them were arrested by Committee for State Security (KGB) agents or customs officers checking mobile phones. The majority received jail terms for sharing “extremist content,” a minor offense.
Security forces mostly go after those returning from Lithuania, but there were also checks and arrests at other open checkpoints, Viasna said. That included frequent arrests at the country’s border with Russia.
Some of those detained were charged with crimes and given longer prison sentences.