{"id":126816,"date":"2025-02-18T12:33:39","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T09:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/126816\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"jailed-belarusian-preacher-employed-by-eu-delegation-to-appeal-sentence-on-march-7","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/126816\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarusian preacher to appeal sentence on March 7"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (VKontakte)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

February 18, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Miko\u0142a Chi\u0142o, a local staff member with the EU delegation to Belarus and a Baptist preacher, will appeal his four-year prison sentence at the Supreme Court on March 7, the electronic court schedule says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judge Mika\u0142aj Hryncevi\u010d will preside over the proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police arrested Chi\u0142o in late April 2024. A few weeks later, he was declared a political prisoner. The man was accused of calling for sanctions and inciting hatred, charges routinely used in Belarus to persecute regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights groups said earlier that he was also suspected of posting messages insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, Anitta Hipper, EU spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, urged Minsk to release Chi\u0142o immediately and unconditionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 86 preachers have been subjected to politically-motivated persecution since 2020, according to the Chryscijanskaja Vizija monitoring group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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