{"id":133044,"date":"2025-04-05T12:29:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-05T09:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/133044\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-more-than-8000-persecuted-on-political-grounds-since-2020","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/133044\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: more than 8,000 persecuted on political grounds since 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Briefly: Salihorsk woman to stand trial for solidarity with jailed dissidents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior given restricted freedom term after returning from Poland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three accused of high treason over unauthorized polls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interior ministry brands 27 people as \u201cextremists\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 5, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>A total of 8,147 people faced politically-motivated persecution since the start of the 2020 political crisis in Belarus, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights defenders documented at least 6,800 sentences, along with dozens of cases when regime critics were sent for compulsory treatment. The crackdown on the opposition continues with 209 instances documented last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the recent cases involve punishment for solidarity with jailed activists: a Salihorsk woman is accused of facilitating extremism for making at least 70 money transfers totaling 600 rubels ($192) to 54 persons imprisoned in politically-motivated cases, the state-run local newspaper \u0160achcior<\/em> reported. She is held in custody pending trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another development, a judge in Minsk sentenced \u017dana Vajni\u0142ovi\u010d, 64, to two years of restricted freedom in home confinement on protest-related charges, Viasna said. The woman was arrested upon her return to Belarus from Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two women and a man in Minsk face high treason charges over what investigators called unauthorized sociological surveys. Authorities claimed the suspects reported on various aspects of life in Belarus to \u201cfoundations and non-profit organizations operating under the patronage of foreign secret services,\u201d undermining national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExtremist\u201d list updates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry branded 27 people as “persons involved in extremist activities,” taking the total on the official extremist register to 5,115 entries. They were convicted on charges that authorities use to persecute political opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The additions feature Ludmi\u0142a Pacevi\u010d, U\u0142adzis\u0142a\u016d Bierazo\u016dski, Valancin Alaksiej\u010dyka\u016d, Alaksandar Chudzi\u010da\u016d, Inesa Kazieka, Anastasija Rakovi\u010d, Maksim Hrynievi\u010d, Nadezieja Sak, Darja and Alaksandar Klimovi\u010d, Alaksiej Dzialec, Alena Hranik, Alaksandar Jerma\u0161kiev\u010d, Lilija Novikava, Maryja Are\u0161ka, Mika\u0142aj Snytko, Ihar Safrona\u016d, Vital Pietru\u010duk, Viktar Viarbicki, Ivan Burlik, Ivan Litvin, Alaksandar D\u017amitruk, Alaksiej Are\u0161ka, Andrej Uruble\u016dski, Natalla Vasilenka, Alena Jelkina and Alaksandar Javorski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry announced extremist content designations for Natazon Chat<\/em> on Telegram, ihar_<\/em>, volnajabelarusinka<\/em>, lahvinea<\/em>, promogilev24<\/em> and \u017dyvie Bie\u0142aru\u015b<\/em> on Instagram, and several personal accounts on VKontakte and Facebook.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 5, human rights defenders identified at least 1,205 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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