{"id":162822,"date":"2025-11-03T23:43:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T20:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/162822\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"belarus-court-jails-15-in-grassroots-chats-case","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/162822\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus court jails 15 in grassroots chats case"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November 3, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Fifteen Hrodna region residents have been sentenced to heavy fines and prison over association with an opposition grassroots chat on Telegram, said the Viasna Human Rights Center report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 14, the Hrodna Regional Court handed down a verdict against seven residents of Smarho\u0144. Six were sentenced to imprisonment and fines: Maret Valuk, U\u0142adzimir Ka\u016d\u0142o\u016dski, Volha Miranienka, Natalla Pupkievi\u010d, \u015aviat\u0142ana Ka\u0161kiel and Marharyta Navumava (2.5 years and 33,600 rubels each). Lubo\u016d Valuk was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom, a type of home confinement, and a fine of 21,000 rubels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of October, the same court handed down a similar verdict against nine residents of Va\u016dkavysk. Lilija Juru\u0107, Ludmi\u0142a \u0160rubok, Volha Prakop\u010dyk, Alena \u017dukava, Iryna Dabrynovi\u010d and Viktar Tur\u010denik were sentenced to 2.5 years\u2019 imprisonment; Natalla Kra\u016d\u010duk, to two years and eight months; Illa Chodas, to two years and nine months; and Vital Cynkiel, to two years and ten months. The nine were also fined 33,600 rubels each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Smarhon residents were reportedly members of the online chat VILIJA, while the Va\u016dkavysk residents were members of the chat Volnyja Va\u016dki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five of those sentenced have not been declared political prisoners so far: Ka\u016d\u0142o\u016dski, Pupkievi\u010d, Ka\u0161kiel, Navumava and Lubo\u016d Valuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Group trials over local chats have been reported since July 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to human rights activists, a wave of arrests swept across Belarus in the fall of 2024 after authorities accused activists of trying to \u201cunite into an organization with the goal of seizing power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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