{"id":112612,"date":"2024-11-05T11:38:18","date_gmt":"2024-11-05T08:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/112612\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-authorities-arrest-and-blacklist-opponents-ahead-of-presidential-race","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/112612\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: authorities arrest and blacklist opponents ahead of presidential race"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November 5, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>Last week was marred by mass raids across Belarus linked to an alleged plot to overthrow the government, as agents of the Committee for State Security (KGB) reportedly targeted local chats that had cropped up during the 2020 postelection protests, the Visna Human Rights Center said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus from November 2 to 4 included a guilty verdict passed against the interior ministry’s cadet Illa Nary\u0161kin, Viasna reported. He was given 15 years in prison and fined 24,000 rubels (about $7,200) on charges of high treason and participation in an armed group abroad. The trial reportedly concluded in mid-August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Minsk judge ordered compulsory psychiatric treatment for Askier A\u0142achviedzije\u016d, 25, after finding him guilty of participating in and recruiting people for an armed conflict abroad, Viasna said. Authorities also branded him as an extremist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna also reported six-month prison terms given to Artur Mo\u0142\u010dan and Artur Kanapacki in a show trial in \u0141uniniec, Brest region. Three years ago, both reportedly tore down a state flag from a store. Authorities identified one of the accused as he had to undergo fingerprinting during this year\u2019s draft campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017amitryj Ko\u0142aba\u016d went on trial in Hrodna yesterday, Viasna said. Authorities accuse him of violent disorder, inciting hatred and defaming the head of state in connection with social media posts critical of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” register updates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The KGB branded several local chats, including Sukharevo<\/em>, Sienica2.0<\/em>, Solidarnost<\/em>, Volnyja Va\u016dki<\/em>, Navahrudskija Partyzany<\/em>, VILYA<\/em> and Skromniye Matrioshki<\/em>, as extremist groups, listing 14 people as members, according to the interior ministry\u2019s updated online extremist register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four days ago, authorities added 24 people to the list of persons \u201cinvolved in extremist activities\u201d in a fresh attempt to smear the pro-democracy movement. New additions include Vieranika Capka\u0142a, Anatol Kota\u016d, Ja\u016dhien Vilski, Volha Kara\u010d and Vadzim D\u017amitronak, sentenced to prison in their absence on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of November 5, human rights defenders identified at least 1,298 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 late October.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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