{"id":111133,"date":"2024-10-25T12:32:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T09:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/111133\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-intensify-ahead-of-presidential-campaign","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/111133\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals intensify ahead of presidential campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 25, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on October 24 with more harassment reported at state-run companies in the Hrodna region in the run-up to the January presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The management started holding weekly information sessions for staff along with regular checks of employees’ smartphones, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel said. Some people also had their passports and visas checked, while police officers copied information from smartphones and made several arrests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another arrest reported by a pro-government source is linked to participation in 2020 postelection protests and online comments about the Russian leadership and NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ta\u0107ciana Karmil\u010dyk, Janina Kaskievi\u010d, Juryj Chadak, Ina Kli\u0161evi\u010d and Alaksandar Barel were tried in the Hrodna region for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian rights defenders recorded 1,221 cases of politically-motivated persecution between July 1 and September 30, including about 380 trials for sharing opposition content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Vya\u010das\u0142a\u016d Lacha\u016d went on trial in Viciebsk on charges of financing extremism in connection with donations to opposition solidarity groups, the Vitebsk, Ya Gulayu! <\/em>Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aleh Darhiel, Aleh Selach, Natalla Bajar and An\u017ealika Pilat were tried in Bras\u0142a\u016d, Viciebsk region, on extremism-related charges two days ago, the same channel said. Details of the case remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaciaryna Bystrakova, arrested this summer upon returning from abroad, is on trial in Minsk for participating in 2020 protests, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minsk City Court held the third hearing in a case against Arciom Licevi\u010d, accused of calling for sanctions and violent disorder in connection with his participation in protests, Viasna said. He may face up to 12 years in prison if convicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A Polish court will rule on the extradition of D\u017amitryj Pleska\u010do\u016d, an exiled activist from \u010cavusy, Mahilo\u016d region, in about three weeks at the Belarusian authorities’ request, Dissidentby said. Pleska\u010do\u016d faces five criminal charges in Belarus, where he was blacklisted as a terrorist. Earlier, Poland granted him subsidiary protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 12 Ukrainians accused of espionage and similar offenses are held behind bars in Belarus, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 25, human rights defenders identified at least 1,300 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities filed 7,400 politically-motivated criminal cases in the four years since the August 2020 presidential election, Viasna reported in mid-October..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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