{"id":108074,"date":"2024-10-05T19:43:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T16:43:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108074\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-continue-unabated-ahead-of-2025-presidential-campaign","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108074\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals continue unabated ahead of 2025 presidential campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 5, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus on October 4 included a brutal arrest of a woman in Kalinkavi\u010dy, Homiel region, for allegedly sharing a video of a Russian drone crash with opposition media outlets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reprisals are expected to intensify in the winter months ahead of the 2025 presidential campaign, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minsk City Court sentenced 12 people to prison terms of two to 25 years for complicity in an attack on the Ma\u010duli\u0161\u010dy air base in February 2023, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Seven of the 12 defendants were convicted in absentia of damaging an aircraft, terrorism, high treason, spying, the illegal handling of explosives, terrorism financing and extremism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Mahilo\u016d judge sentenced opposition activist Ba\u017eena \u017do\u0142ud\u017a to five years in prison without the defendant being present, Viasna said. The supporter of \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s presidential campaign was found guilty of insulting a judge, calling for sanctions and sharing personal data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities opened special proceedings against exiled culture manager Alaksandar \u010cacho\u016dski, the Investigative Committee said. He is accused of association with an extremist group and facilitating extremism. He had been sentenced to three months in prison in another criminal case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late September, anarchist activist Siarhiej Ramana\u016d was given two more years in prison for disobeying prison authorities, Viasna said. His cumulative prison term increased to 22 years and 11 months. Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asker Allachviardzije\u016d went on trial in Minsk on Friday, accused of association with a foreign armed group abroad, Viasna reported. The judge closed the proceedings to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information ministry reported extremist content designations for the Telegram channel run by prominent Belarusian political analyst Valeryj Karbalevi\u010d as well as blogger <\/em>on TikTok, Pozyvnoy Poltava<\/em> on Telegram as well as Jarac<\/em>, Rohan<\/em> and Jahor Tubielevi\u010d <\/em>on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

In August, authorities extended detention in closed prison for journalist Ihar Karniej for at least four more months, Radyjo Svaboda<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrested and released<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources reported the arrests of a former soccer fan for an anti-police tattoo and a man in \u0141oje\u016d, Homiel region, for videos and pictures of troops and military equipment on his smartphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barys Ku\u010dynski, 74, was released on August 20 under the pardon program, Mediazona<\/em> reported. In early 2023, he was given a two-year prison term on charges of illegal actions regarding personal data and insulting an official in connection with critical social media posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 5, human rights defenders identified at least 1,281 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities 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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