{"id":177111,"date":"2026-02-25T14:45:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T11:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/177111\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"rights-groups-designate-eight-new-political-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/177111\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights groups designate eight new political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"block-image block-image-normal\">\n\n  <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1128\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/zakliuchenie_unsplash_marco_chilese_1128x752.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/zakliuchenie_unsplash_marco_chilese_1128x752.jpg 1128w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/zakliuchenie_unsplash_marco_chilese_1128x752-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/zakliuchenie_unsplash_marco_chilese_1128x752-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/zakliuchenie_unsplash_marco_chilese_1128x752-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1128px) 100vw, 1128px\" \/>\n  <figcaption>\n  \n       <div class=\"block-image__author\">\n                <span>(Marco Chilese \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n     <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>February 25, <em>Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Belarusian human rights defenders have declared eight more people as political prisoners, taking their total to 1,146, says a joint statement posted by the Viasna Human Rights Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The additions include Pavie\u0142 \u0160pak, Alaksiej La\u016dkievi\u010d, Michai\u0142 Horba\u010d, Ta\u0107ciana Mahnusava, Siarhiej Pachoma\u016d, Vital Abadzienka, Siarhiej Vasilje\u016d and Piotr Asipienka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asipienka was convicted of high treason and violent disorder, while the remaining seven persons are imprisoned on charges ranging from insulting officials and Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka to setting up an extremist group and participating in a military conflict abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Viasna, Belarusian PEN, Barys Zvozska\u016d Human Rights House, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Pravavaja Inicyjatyva and Lawtrend signed the declaration. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rights defenders demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners and the end of reprisals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"insert-block\">\n\n    <div class=\"insert-block__img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"354\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752-354x236.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/pozirk_color_blank_1128x752.jpg 1128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px\" \/>                        <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> Politics<\/label>\n\n                <\/div>\n    <div class=\"insert-block__text\">\n                    <label class=\"insert-block__tag\">Politics<\/label>\n                <h3 class=\"insert-block__title\">Reprisals: more Belarusians face extremism charges<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"insert-block__descr\">February 25, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 24 as the Minsk City Court opened proceedings against Viktoryja Bakunovi\u010d, without her being present, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The woman is accused of &#8230;<\/div>\n        <a class=\"insert-block__btn-block\" href=\"\/en\/news\/177073\">\n            <button class=\"btn\">\n                <div class='btn__text'>Read the article<\/div>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>February 25, Pozirk. Belarusian human rights defenders have declared eight more people as political prisoners, taking their total to 1,146, says a joint statement posted by the Viasna Human Rights Center. The additions include Pavie\u0142 \u0160pak, Alaksiej La\u016dkievi\u010d, Michai\u0142 Horba\u010d, Ta\u0107ciana Mahnusava, Siarhiej Pachoma\u016d, Vital Abadzienka, Siarhiej Vasilje\u016d and Piotr Asipienka. Asipienka was convicted of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":58226,"template":"","rubric":[14,13],"class_list":["post-177111","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-politics","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rights groups designate eight new political prisoners | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"February 25, Pozirk. 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