{"id":108227,"date":"2024-10-07T14:49:32","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T11:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108227\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"viasna-dozens-convicted-in-politically-motivated-cases-after-returning-to-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108227\/","title":{"rendered":"Viasna: dozens convicted in politically-motivated cases after returning to Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Marco Chilese \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 7, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Authorities convicted at least 66 people, who returned to Belarus from abroad, on charges widely seen as politically motivated, the Viasna Human Rights Center reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirty-six of them are now serving prison terms, rights defenders said, noting that not all such cases may be documented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longest sentence of 11 years was passed against Jaras\u0142a\u016d Sakovi\u010d, who returned to Belarus from Ukraine in 2021 to take care of his sick parents but was arrested and tortured all night long by the Committee for State Security (KGB) agents. Later, authorities convicted him on charges of high treason, illegal actions with firearms and abusing state symbols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the arrested are sent for compulsory psychiatric treatment, as was the case with jailed artist Neli A\u0142fiorava, convicted for insulting an official in connection with critical social media posts and blacklisted as an “extremist” three months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The woman was an independent observer at the 2020 presidential election. In late 2021, she left for Poland with her son but returned to Belarus later. The fate of her underage son with a disability remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities keep harassing Belarusians who return home from abroad, with at least 11 new cases reported over the past few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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