{"id":145607,"date":"2025-07-07T16:37:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T13:37:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/145607\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"rights-activists-report-spike-in-prosecutions-over-2020-protests","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/145607\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights activists report spike in prosecutions over 2020 protests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 7, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarus’ law enforcement agencies have stepped up their effort to prosecute participants in the 2020 postelection protests, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuman rights activists have received information that in recent months, charges have been brought more frequently under the \u2018popular\u2019 Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organization of or participation in actions grossly violating public order). It\u2019s almost been five years since the protests, which means the statute of limitations for prosecution under this criminal article will soon expire. After that, participants cannot be convicted,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know that court cases have been mass produced in recent weeks under Article 342 of the Criminal Code ,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna also noted that the prosecution of protesters under Article 293 of the Criminal Code (mass riots) continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2020, at least 8,421 people have faced politically motivated criminal charges, and at least 7,116 have received politically motivated sentences. Of those, 33 were sent for compulsory psychiatric treatment, according to an earlier report by Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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