{"id":110005,"date":"2024-10-18T10:59:45","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T07:59:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/110005\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"reprisals-foreigners-arrested","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/110005\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: foreigners arrested"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 17, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> At least six fully-equipped security officers have detained an Israeli national in Minsk. Police released a video of him saying that he posted 18 negative comments about Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and Security Council State Secretary Alaksandar Valfovi\u010d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, a national of Ukraine and the United States was arrested in Viciebsk. Authorities press criminal charges against the man, saying that they found him to be in possession of spy equipment for undercover work. The security officers who apprehended the suspect were wearing Saint George ribbons, a Russian military symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volha Brycikava, a designated political prisoner, was sentenced to three more years in prison. The Viciebsk Regional Court found the former trade union leader from the Naftan oil refinery guilty of calling for sanctions, inciting hatred and facilitating extremist activities. On April 8, the same court sentenced Brycikava to an additional three years in prison for allegedly inciting hatred and calling for sanctions. Her combined total sentence is six years, Mediazona<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minsk City Court began the trial of Michai\u0142 Fando, a professional poker player from Barysa\u016d, Minsk region. Justice officials presumably charged him with participating in a foreign armed conflict, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pavie\u0142 Lemiech, a Roman Catholic priest from the Our Lady of F\u00e1tima parish in \u0160umilina, Viciebsk region, fled Belarus. In May, authorities sentenced Lemiech and pastor Andrzej Juchniewicz to 10 days in jail for \u201conline picketing,\u201d Viasna Viciebsk reported. Later, they brought criminal charges against Juchniewicz. Human rights groups declared the pastor a political prisoner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juryj Bara\u016dnio\u016d, a priest of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Krule\u016d\u0161\u010dyna, Viciebsk region, was released after serving 10 days in jail, Chryscianskaja Vizija reported. He was sentenced for allegedly circulating extremist information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Investigative Committee summoned Marina Girin, vice president of the Association of Belarusian Business Abroad, for questioning. The EU-based activist told Polskie Radio<\/em> that the investigators sent her interview request to her mother in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 8, authorities did not release Rus\u0142an Linnik after he served his sentence, Strana Dlya Zhizni reported. Instead, they transferred the designated political prisoner to a detention center in Kaladzi\u010dy, Minsk region. The charges are unknown. Officers arrested the blogger in Viciebsk in February 2021. In September of that year, a judge found him guilty of four crimes and sentenced him to four years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last afternoon, human rights defenders declared four more people to be political prisoners. Viasna named them as Juryj Bandarenka, Via\u010das\u0142a\u016d Murno\u016d, Andrej Rebiako\u016d and Kiry\u0142 Vieviel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian judges sentenced at least 170 people (46 women and 124 men) for political reasons in September, Viasna reported. Last month, 61 people were sentenced in Minsk, 44 in the Brest region, 25 in the Minsk region, 20 in the Homiel region, nine in the Viciebsk region, eight in the Mahilo\u016d region and three in the Hrodna region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 18, human rights defenders identified at least 1,291 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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