{"id":112348,"date":"2024-11-02T13:15:31","date_gmt":"2024-11-02T10:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/112348\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-new-wave-of-crackdown-on-regime-critics","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/112348\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: new wave of crackdown on regime critics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November 2, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>Dmitry Shletgauer, a 22-year-old Russian national jailed in Belarus in a politically-motivated case, died in Mahilo\u016d’s prison three weeks ago, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The exact cause of death remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases of politically-motivated persecution documented on November 1 featured a new wave of crackdown on regime critics across Belarus in the run-up to the January presidential election. Mass raids and arrests were reported in Homiel, Hrodna, Mahilo\u016d and Minsk regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Kaciaryna Ka\u0142aso\u016dskaja was tried in Hrodna for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut <\/em>Telegram channel said. The sentence remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities reported extremist content designations for several opposition social media pages, including \u017da\u016dnier BNR<\/em> on X, \u0160arka\u016d\u0161\u010dyna\u00a0 | Tvoj horad <\/em>on Vkontakte and Sosnovaya, Kurgan Slavy<\/em> on Telegram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Ihar Bacian, 60, was given 12 years in prison on high treason charges, Haradzienskaja Pravaabarona said. No further details of his case are available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Supreme Court rejected exiled activist Volha Viali\u010dka\u2019s appeal against the nine-year prison sentence passed without her being present at the trial, Hrodna\u2019s rights defenders said. Authorities persecuted her on seven criminal charges, ranging from inciting hatred and defaming Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka to violent disorder and facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmentalist and photographer Stanis\u0142a\u016d Taspaje\u016d has been on trial in Miadziel, Minsk region, since early October, Viasna reported. Authorities accuse him of discrediting the state and violating the order of holding mass events. Three years ago, he had been sentenced to restricted freedom in home confinement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days ago, authorities filed criminal charges against exiled D\u017amitryj To\u016d\u015bcik for allegedly resisting police orders, the Investigative Committee reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Minsk-based National Belarusian Drama Theater fired actors Maksim Brahiniec, D\u017amitryj Davidovi\u010d and Arciom Kure\u0144 after they had served terms on petty hooliganism charges, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state-run media accused three students of spreading disinformation and preparing cyber on orders from the opposition groups, according to mlyn.by<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk region’s Penal Colony No 14 is infested with mice and cockroaches, MAYDAY.TEAM said. Rooms for visits are damp and cold forcing inmates’ visiting family members to sleep fully clothed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of November 2, human rights defenders identified at least 1,299 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, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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