{"id":128815,"date":"2025-03-06T12:51:15","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T09:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128815\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"revelation-from-astraviec-judge-unveils-massive-scale-of-persecution-over-banned-content","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128815\/","title":{"rendered":"Revelation from Astraviec judge unveils massive scale of persecution over banned content"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (ostrovets.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

March 6, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> A total of 51 people were found guilty of sharing banned content in the Hrodna region’s Astraviec district last year, the state-controlled ostrovets.by<\/em> reported, citing Judge \u015aviat\u0142ana \u0141abor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all, Belarus has 142 district courts. If every court sentenced 51 people like the district court in Astraviec, the number of people punished over banned content would be 27,406 in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Viasna Human Rights Center documented 5,890 trials involving the charges of sharing opposition content in 2024. That was rise by more than 50 percent from the number recorded in 2023. Therefore, most instances of persecution for possessing and sharing banned content are not documented by human rights defenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities seized smartphones from all defendants. Most were sentenced to fines ranging from 840 to 1,050 rubels ($260 to $325), while some people were given 15-day jail terms, \u0141abor said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reposts, reactions, shares and donations to opposition initiatives are considered minor offenses in Belarus but may also lead to criminal charges, the judge noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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