{"id":161508,"date":"2025-10-25T11:02:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T08:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161508\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-three-women-convicted-for-setting-up-local-chat","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161508\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: three women imprisoned for setting up local chat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 25, Pozirk. <\/em><\/strong>New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on October 24 with three more people sentenced to prison for setting up a closed local chat, following earlier reports of five similar convictions in Hrodna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maryna Pietra\u017eyckaja, Anastasija Sikiryckaja and Anastasija Har\u010dakova were given two years in prison and a fine of 33,600 rubels (some $11,260) each, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry also continued expanding its register of people \u201cinvolved in extremist activities\u201d with 18 additions announced yesterday, including journalist Aleh Supruniuk from Brest. Belarusian authorities routinely use terrorism and extremism designations to silence critical voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland-based D\u017amitryj Banit and Vadzim Kryva\u0161eje\u016d, currently residing in the United States, face criminal charges in Belarus under special proceedings that target exiles, the Investigative Committee said on Telegram. Kryva\u0161eje\u016d used to head the state-run Olympic Training Center for Freestyle Skiing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 25, human rights defenders identified at least 1,239 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because of many undocumented cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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