{"id":107470,"date":"2024-10-02T11:47:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-02T08:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/107470\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-another-trial-of-2020-protesters-opens-in-brest","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/107470\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: another trial of 2020 protesters opens in Brest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 2, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Five people went on trial in Brest on October 1 in connection with the 2020 mass protests against election fraud, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elvira \u0141amanos, Alaksandar Pratasiuk, Ta\u0107ciana Bandaruk, Alaksiej Martyna\u016d and Via\u010das\u0142a\u016d Hrabinski are in the dock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other instances of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus on October 1, Volha \u0141ocmanava was given three years in prison on charges of facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups, Pozirk <\/em>reported. She was arrested earlier this year during a raid targeting initiatives helping political prisoners and their families. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalla Varabiej, arrested in the same raid, went on trial in Minsk on similar charges, the Pravo Imeyut <\/em>Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hrodna Regional Court opened an appeal hearing involving Lizavieta Makrydzina, prosecuted on protests-related charges after her return from Poland, the same channel reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Brest sentenced Vadzim Nia\u016dcenia to three years in prison on five criminal charges, including inciting hatred in connection with politically-sensitive social media posts, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recreation center workers \u015aviat\u0142ana Sta\u0161kevi\u010d and Natalla Baravik and village council deputy Ina Selaze\u0144 were tried in H\u0142ybokaje, Viciebsk region, for sharing opposition content, the Vitebsk, Ya Gulayu! <\/em>Telegram channel said. The sentences remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volha Cichanovi\u010d and Iryna Atra\u0161\u010donak were tried on similar charges in the Hrodna and Viciebsk regions, respectively, opposition Telegram channels reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry said it blocked access to okko.tv<\/em>, citing violations of media law. It accused the the streaming service of promoting violence and cruelty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources reported the arrests of a Hrodna student in connection with government-critical online comments and a man in Navapo\u0142ack, Viciebsk region, for alleged intentions to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 67 seniors faced politically-motivated persecution in Belarus, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 2, human rights defenders identified at least 1,304 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities have arrested about 65,000 people for political reasons in the four years since the August 2020 presidential election, Viasna reported in early August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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