{"id":151708,"date":"2025-08-19T11:15:51","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T08:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/151708\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-eight-on-trial-in-hrodna-for-communication-in-local-chats","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/151708\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: eight on trial in Hrodna for communication in local chats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Briefly: Pismo.bel founders sentenced to prison terms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers step up pressure on exiles\u2019 families in Belarus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researcher imprisoned for unauthorized survey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 19, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus from August 16 to 18 as eight people from Va\u016dkavysk, Hrodna region, went on trial on extremism-related charges for communicating in local chats, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases included an arrest of a man for allegedly insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka in the emergency room of a hospital in Uzda, Minsk region, the state-run \u010cyrvonaja Zorka<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights defenders know of at least 40 people arrested in the Bie\u0142aruski Hajun case for sharing pictures of Russian military equipment movements in Belarus. Viasna says the number may be significantly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Alaksandar Mazur and Pavie\u0142 Karaniuchin were given three and a half years in prison each; Alaksandar \u0141yk\u0161yn, three years and seven months, Viasna said. All three were accused of forming an extremist group for running the Pismo.bel<\/em> initiative that helped people write letters to jailed dissidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minsk City Court sentenced Ja\u016dhien Kra\u015bnianski from Minsk to seven and a half years in prison on August 8 for conducting an unauthorized survey on Covid-19 pandemic, Viasna reported. The man was also fined 25,000 rubels (some $8,400) after the court found him guilty on charges of treason and tax evasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hanna Ku\u0142ak from S\u0142onim, Hrodna region, was sentenced to a restricted freedom term in home confinement on protest-related charges, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Hrodna sentenced doctor Siarhiej Ramaso\u016d to a prison term for allegedly inciting hatred and financing extremist activities, which may be linked to donations for blacklisted opposition initiatives, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Jailed banker-turned-politician Viktar Babaryka returned to work in a prison bakery at the Penal Colony No 1 in Navapo\u0142ack, Viciebsk region, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers are searching the homes of families whose exiled relatives participated in the opposition rallies abroad earlier this year, Mediazona <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some 2,000 ideologists are employed at Belarusian secondary schools, Pozirk <\/em>said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of August 19, human rights defenders identified at least 1,184 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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