{"id":197441,"date":"2026-07-27T15:59:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T12:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197441\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T16:51:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T13:51:52","slug":"two-environmentalists-get-lengthy-prison-sentences","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197441\/","title":{"rendered":"Two environmentalists get lengthy prison terms\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (the Viasna Human Rights Center) <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

July 27,\u00a0Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong>\u00a0Environmentalists\u00a0Hleb Hierasimovi\u010d\u00a0and\u00a0Alaksandar Milkamanovi\u010d\u00a0have been sentenced to six years in prison each, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hierasimovi\u010d and Milkamanovi\u010d were initially charged with facilitating \u201cextremism\u201d but eventually convicted of involvement with an \u201cextremist organization,\u201d probably an environmental coalition called Green Network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were also ordered to pay 22,500 rubels ($7,800) each in fines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No other details were available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 30, 2025, the Committee for State Security (KGB) designated Green Network as an\u00a0\u201cextremist organization.\u201d\u00a0The KGB listed the Green Network\u2019s Instagram and Telegram accounts, as well as the Ecodom Telegram channel, the Ecochat chat, the Belarus Beehive bot and the belarusbeehive.eu website as the group\u2019s\u00a0media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The KGB identified Hleb Hierasimovi\u010d, Alaksandar Milkamanovi\u010d, Natalla Hierasimava and Jaras\u0142a\u016d Bieki\u0161 as individuals involved in the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bieki\u0161, a religious scholar, holds Master\u2019s degree in political science from European Humanities University. He worked as a coordinator of the Green Network grassroots organizations and EuroBelarus board member. Besides, he\u00a0was\u00a0a member of the second Coordination Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hierasimovi\u010d and Milkamanovi\u010d were involved in startups related to environmental projects in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Green Network is a partnership of environmental organizations and activists in Belarus, including experts, volunteers and initiative groups, aiming to \u201cmake Belarus a green, democratic and prosperous country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Green Network reportedly implements programs and projects in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development, supports green activists and \u201cmonitors and evaluates the activities of actors influencing the environmental and public agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month Ecodom reported that more than 80 environmental organizations had been dissolved in Belarus since 2021 as part of the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime\u2019s crackdown on civil society. Sixty other organizations suspended their operation on their own initiative under pressure from authorities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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