At least 143 arrested in January 23 raids – activist

January 25, Pozirk. At least 143 people have been detained in Belarus since January 23, Andrej Stryžak, co-founder of the BySol Foundation, has said on Telegram.
“We keep working to protecting our people,” he added.
The wave of arrests targeting political prisoners’ families and their supporters swept across Belarus on January 23. Some of the arrests were reportedly linked to the INeedHelpBY, an opposition initiative that helps reprisal victims with food. A week earlier, authorities branded it an “extremist” group.
However, IneedHelpBY has not recorded any “system hacks and information leaks” that could expose its volunteers to danger, its head Filip Haŭryšaŭ said on Instagram.
He noted that some detainees were asked questions about food parcels from INeedHelpBY. Most have been released as police have no evidence to prove their communication with the initiative, he noted.
“The main idea is that no one gets help personally from the initiative,” Haŭryšaŭ said. “Belarusians in difficult financial situations receive help from their concerned compatriots, who want to help with food. That is, individuals help other individuals voluntarily with charitable intentions.”
All assistance is not directly linked to INeedHelpBY, but to people, he stressed.
He urged followers based in Belarus to unfollow the INeedHelpBY social media, delete the initiative’s Telegram bot because of its “extremist” designation and contact support service to delete all personal data, if needed.
Belarusian expats launched INeedHelpBY in 2020 to help reprisal victims buy food. On January 16, the Committee for State Security branded it an “extremist” group.
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja discusses political prisoners with French foreign ministerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarusian police accused of torturing former Afghan officerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsPoczobut held in penal colony’s isolation wing amid health declineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityUkraine to try Volyn resident for sharing info with Belarus’ secret serviceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja: Belarus gains unprecedented attention in French foreign policyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSenators approve Belarusian-Russian deal against prosecution abroadThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka, Putin discuss regional situationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Security
- Economy
- SocietyHome tattoo turns fatal for Maładziečna womanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics
- EconomyBelarusians net sellers of foreign currency in January-SeptemberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLithuania scaling back security for Cichanoŭskaja – reportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityOfficials holding four-day mobilization drill across BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: Wargaming co-founder given lengthy prison term in absentiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityPoland, Latvia see sharp rise in illegal entries compared with early October 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus, Oman sign memorandum on pulp and cardboard millThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEU delegation calls for all regime prisoners to be freedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyBelarus, Oman sign visa waiver agreementThe material is available only to POZIRK+