{"id":127817,"date":"2025-02-26T12:08:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T09:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/127817\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-married-couple-from-hrodna-convicted-over-politics","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/127817\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: couple from Hrodna convicted over politics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Briefly: Prosecutors forward to court case against five Kalino\u016dski fighters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense company employee gets two years in prison over calls for sanctions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exiled journalist\u2019s Minsk apartment vandalized<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights group reports persecution of Belarusians for supporting Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenian blogger flees Belarus after a trial for sharing banned content<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 26, <\/strong>Pozirk<\/strong>.<\/em> New cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus on February 25 included 14 additions to the political prisoners\u2019 list, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of them is Leanid Cierabiej, who was given three years in prison two days ago in Hrodna. His wife Anatanina Cierabiej was sentenced to two years of restricted freedom in home confinement, Haradzienskaja Pravaabarona said. The couple faced five criminal charges: inciting hatred, violent disorder, abusing state symbols, insulting and slandering Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge in Minsk sentenced Karyna Prata\u0161\u010dyk, a defense company employee, to two years in prison on charges of calling for sanctions, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, the Minsk City Court heard appeals by Alaksiej Miad\u017aviedzie\u016d and D\u017amitryj Hacko, convicted of insulting officials and violent disorder, respectively, the electronic court schedule said. Authorities did not disclose the rulings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juryj Za\u0142atuchin was tried at the Homiel Regional Court on high treason charges, according to the electronic court schedule. No further details of the case are available. Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other scheduled proceedings include an upcoming hearing in the trial of journalist Ihar Ilja\u0161 at the Minsk City Court. Charges against him include discrediting Belarus and facilitating extremism. He would face up to six years in prison if convicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same court will hear the case of the former customs officer Viktar Vierabjo\u016d accused of high treason, abusing powers, violent disorder and association with an extremist group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prosecutor General\u2019s Office said it forwarded a criminal case against five Belarusian volunteers who fought alongside Ukrainian forces to the Minsk City Court. Prosecutors accuse them of committing extremist, terrorist and other crimes. In 2022, all five reportedly joined the Kastu\u015b Kalino\u016dski Regiment, a Belarusian volunteer unit under the Ukrainian command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Pavie\u0142 \u0160u\u015bcin was tried for sharing opposition content in \u015aviet\u0142ahorsk, Homiel region, on February 4, Viasna reported. The sentence remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Armenian politician Gagik Tsarukian helped Armenian blogger Roza Babakhanyan known as Bella leave Belarus following her arrest and trial for sharing content banned in Belarus, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Exiled journalist Ta\u0107ciana A\u0161urkievi\u010d said on Facebook that unknown persons vandalized the doors of her Minsk apartment weeks after Politico run her article about Belarusian authorities’ and security services’ involvement in facilitating illegal migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 40 people faced criminal charges for donations to Belarusian volunteers who fight Russia in Ukraine with 30 people convicted of intentions to fight on Kyiv’s side, Viasna said in a report. At least 93 people were persecuted for sharing pictures and videos of Russian military equipment movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, 89 people, 24 women among them, were convicted in politically-motivated criminal cases, rights defenders said.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of February 26, human rights defenders identified at least 1,219 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At least 89 prosecuted for political reasons in January \u2013 report<\/h3>\n
February 25, Pozirk. At least 89 people were subjected to politically motivated criminal prosecution in January, the Viasna Human Rights Center reports. It prosecuted 65 men and 24 women. Additionally, one person was sentenced without being present at the trial. …<\/div>\n \n