{"id":120307,"date":"2024-12-31T11:37:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T08:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120307\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-police-arrest-at-least-17-in-homiel-region","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/120307\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: mass arrests in Homiel region"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Briefly:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catholic priest convicted of high treason<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exiled comedian given prison term for jokes about \u0141uka\u0161enka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two exiled ex-officers given lengthy prison terms over arson attack on police base<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eleven tried for sharing opposition content<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

December 31, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus from December 28 to 30 with at least 17 arrested in the Homiel region, Flagshtok <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Minsk Regional Court sentenced Catholic priest Hienrych Aka\u0142atovi\u010d to 11 years in prison on high treason charges, katolik.life <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Via\u010das\u0142a\u016d Kamisaranka, a popular exiled Belarusian stand-up comedian, was given six years in prison without being present at the trial, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. Authorities accused him of inciting hatred as well as insulting and defaming Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka who frequently features in Kamisaranka\u2019s jokes about politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Minsk judge sentenced exiled former riot policeman Pavie\u0142 Ku\u0142a\u017eanka and former military officer Vital Paciechin to 24 and 23 years in prison, respectively, without them being present at the trial, Viasna reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both were accused of terrorism and plotting to seize power over the 2021 drone attack on a Minsk-based special police unit. Authorities seized their Belarus-based properties valued at 240,000 rubels (about $71,600).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Maryja Ma\u0107vijenka, Alaksiej Bortnika\u016d, Aleh Jachim\u010dyk, Ivan Hre\u015b, Dzianis Lapiochin, Alina Kaval\u010duk, Illa Prycho\u017ey, Volha Vialuha, Vieranika Kaby\u0142kova, Pavie\u0142 Kaza\u010denka, Maciej Ja\u016dtu\u0161enka were tried in the Hrodna and Viciebsk regions for sharing opposition content, Telegram channels monitoring trials reported. The sentences remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alena Apanas was tried in Navahrudak, Hrodna region, for alleged violations of personal data protection, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exiled Alaksandar Isaje\u016d was given two years in prison on charges of insulting officials and judges in connection with critical social media comments, the Vitebsk, Ya Gulayu<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U\u0142adzimir \u0160pak, who administered the Propovednik chat, went on trial in Minsk on protest- and extremism-related charges, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry reported extremist content designations for 1pr.by<\/em>, five Telegram channels uniting the Belarusian community in Warsaw and several other Telegram channels and chats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other blacklisted content includes nikita25wf,<\/em> ivan_hanin3<\/em>, alieh_baradzin <\/em>on Instagram; Nikolai Bondarenko <\/em>and tsybulka_life <\/em>on TikTok; Belarus Parliamentary<\/em>, Belarus Live <\/em>and Mo Zg<\/em> on Facebook; Pavie\u0142 Libier’s and Kastu\u015b Kalino\u016dski Regiment’s X accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Jailed former university lecturer Mika\u0142aj Banko\u016d has been held incommunicado for one year, Viasna said. He is serving a four-year prison term for donations to solidarity networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jailed journalist Dzianis Iva\u0161yn may be out of the punishment cell, a Telegram channel monitoring his persecution said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three days ago, \u0141uka\u0161enka signed an edict pardoning 20 more people convicted of extremism-related crimes. The group includes 11 women, 14 people have chronic diseases and 10 parents, his press office said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, rights groups designated 12 people targeted in extremism cases as political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 1,721 people, 144 exiles among them, were convicted in politically-motivated criminal cases in the outgoing year, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of December 31, human rights defenders identified at least 1,265 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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