{"id":167522,"date":"2025-12-10T11:19:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T08:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167522\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-startup-founder-six-others-jailed-on-political-grounds-since-december-6","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167522\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: startup founder, six others jailed on political grounds since December 6"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December 10, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Rights groups have documented several extremism-related sentences handed down to Belarusians since December 6 for supporting opposition initiatives and displaying solidarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Homiel sentenced Alaksiej Jahie\u0142a, 41, to a prison term on charges of facilitating extremism, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. His persecution is linked to the now-defunct Bie\u0142aruski Hajun online initiative that monitored Russian military activities in Belarus since 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aksana \u0160alapina was given three years in prison for supporting designated political prisoners, dissidentby reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pavie\u0142 \u0160pak was sentenced to a prison term after coming to Belarus from Poland where he was employed, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported. A judge from Minsk found him guilty on charges of violent disorder and inciting hatred, while the interior ministry blacklisted him as \u201cinvolved in extremist activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marharyta Jasievi\u010d, Kanstancin Kaburnieje\u016d and startup founder Juryj Chramieje\u016d were given prison terms on extremism-related charges, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> and Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgeon Andrej Lubiecki, serving five years in prison in a politically-motivated case, faced disobedience charges which resulted in extension of his prison term, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blacklisted content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district court in Minsk designated the webpage of the Conference of International Non-governmental Organizations (CINGO) of the Council of Europe at coe.int<\/em> as \u201cextremist content\u201d five days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry announced extremist content designations for mogilev.m\u0435dia<\/em>, YouTube videos by Dymna Lotva\u00a0rock band and several other videos critical of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A group of United Nations experts denounced<\/a> the recent deportation to Lithuania of pardoned Belarusian dissidents, noting that expulsions violate several human rights, including the right to a nationality and freedom of movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 9,185 people have been subjected to politically-motivated criminal persecution in Belarus since 2020, Viasna said in a report. Belarusian judges handed down 7,840 politically-motivated sentences, including 37 for compulsory psychiatric treatment, the group noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, Belarus ranked in the top four countries by the number of imprisoned journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since March 6, the website affiliated with the Belarusian Supreme Court has not published any court schedules that helped document reprisals, Pozirk r<\/em>eported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of December 10, human rights defenders identified at least 1,217 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Belarus world\u2019s fourth largest prison for journalists \u2013 RSF<\/h3>\n
December 9, Pozirk. This year, Belarus ranked in the top four countries by the number of imprisoned journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report. On December 1,503 media workers were held behind bars in 47 countries worldwide. …<\/div>\n \n