{"id":45823,"date":"2023-02-23T12:59:14","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T09:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/articles\/update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/45823\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n <b>February 23, <span>BPN<\/span>. <\/b>New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 22.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Several arrested, one released\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Police arrested a director of a car service center in Salihorsk, Minsk region, over a protest sticker on the entrance door, a pro-government source said. Police forced him to record a video where he is shown in his office with white-red-white and Ukrainian flag-themed objects.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Another Salihorsk resident is under arrest over a white-red-white sticker with the Pahonia coat of arms on his car. Police allegedly found flags of Poland and Canada, objects with Belarusian historical symbols and books that authorities deem extremist at his home, pro-government sources said.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Police also arrested a car mechanic from Lida, Hrodna region. In a video posted by the Telegram channels linked to police, the man admits under duress to signing up for the opposition&#8217;s Pieramoha plan.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Authorities released Mika\u0142aj \u010carnavus Jr. from Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region, after he had served 15 days in jail, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. He is still a suspect in a criminal case for insulting Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Trials\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t A court in Homiel jailed businessman and lawyer Aleh \u0160amkin for 10 days on charges of distributing extremist content, Homiel-based activist Illa Mirona\u016d said on his social media.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Criminal proceedings\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t A court in the Minsk region sentenced Ihar Pastucho\u016d to one year in prison for participating in 2020 protests and blocking traffic in Fanipal, Minsk region, Viasna reported.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Criminal cases\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Authorities charged D\u017amitryj S\u0142uk from Babrujsk, Mahilo\u016d region, with funding terrorist activities for donations to an organization deemed terrorist in Belarus. He has been in custody since February 10, Viasna said.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t The news comes amid reports that the Committee for State Security (KGB) a hunting Belarusians who donated to the Bysol foundation that helps victims of political persecution. According to credible sources, KGB agents extort ten to&nbsp;hundred times the amount of donations for dropping charges.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Other instances of persecution\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t The Committee for State Security (KGB) added Volha \u0160e\u016d\u010dyk, 30, a resident in Mazyr, Homiel region, to its register of individuals and entities involved in \u201cterrorist activity,\u201d Viasna said. In late November 2022, a court in Homiel found her guilty of five criminal offenses, including inciting hatred and insulting public officials online. \u0160e\u016d\u010dyk\u2019s trial was closed to the public and authorities did not disclose the verdict.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t The Mahilo\u016d prison authorities deprived journalist Alaksandr Lubian\u010duk of parcels, care packages and visits for three months for alleged violations of prison rules, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t As of February 23, human rights defenders identified at least 1,438 political prisoners.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>February 23, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 22. Several arrested, one released Police arrested a director of a car service center in Salihorsk, Minsk region, over a protest sticker on the entrance door, a pro-government source said. Police forced him to record a video where he is shown [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-45823","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","rubric-politics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"February 23, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on February 22. 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