{"id":121885,"date":"2025-01-15T20:33:54","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T17:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/121885\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"seven-foreigners-convicted-of-terrorism-in-belarus-viasna","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/121885\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven foreigners convicted of terrorism in Belarus \u2013 Viasna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

January 15, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarusian judges have recently convicted seven foreigners of terrorism, the Viasna Human Rights Center said, noting that planned or committed civil disobedience is often blown out of proportion and presented as a national security threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It identified the convicted individuals as Russian nationals Andrey Podnebenny and Aleksey Kulikov, as well as Ukrainians Mykola Shve\u0107, Ivan Lykholat, Maria Mysiuk, and Serhii and Pavlo Kabarchuk. Security forces later exchanged Shve\u0107 for a Russian Orthodox priest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The human rights group also recalled a case against German national Rico Krieger, who was sentenced to death on terrorism charges only to be pardoned and released as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all, Belarusian judges have convicted 71 people of terrorism, including anarchists, suspects in attacks on the railway infrastructure and the Ma\u010duli\u0161\u010dy airfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This branding is part of a broader strategy where “the absence of an international terrorism threat does not prevent accusations of terrorism against pro-democratic politicians and activists.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 411 criminal cases handled by the Committee for State Security (KGB) in 2023, 132 were politically motivated, the BelPol association of former security officers reported. Twenty-one cases involved terrorism-related charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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