{"id":47697,"date":"2023-07-21T11:47:19","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T08:47:19","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\/47697\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"

July 21, BPN.<\/span><\/b> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 20.<\/p>\n

Arrests<\/p>\n

Law enforcers in Hrodna arrested Kiry\u0142 Kury\u0142a for participating in protests in 2020 and an online remark, a pro-government media outlet and Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/span> reported. It is unclear whether investigators are pressing criminal charges against him.<\/p>\n

Police in Dziar\u017eynsk, Minsk region, arrested artist Siarhiej Kule\u0161a for unknown reasons, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n

Trials<\/p>\n

A court in H\u0142ubokaje, Viciebsk region, on June 13 sentenced \u0179micier Rudak, a rescuer based in the village of Pad\u015bville, to 15 days in jail for sharing an “extremist” media outlet’s article on social media, Viasna Viciebsk reports. He was fired after he served his sentence. <\/p>\n

A district court in Minsk sentenced a former state television employee and his wife to three years of restricted freedom, a type of home confinement, for taking part in protests against the government, STV <\/span>reported. Photographer and writer \u0179micier Bajarovi\u010d, a former STV<\/span> employee, and Valeryja Bajarovi\u010d were convicted of public order offenses.<\/p>\n

The Dziar\u017eynski District Court sentenced Fanipal resident \u0141adaryja Ku\u017aniacova to one year of restricted freedom for taking part in protests in August 2020, Viasna said.<\/p>\n

The Hrodna Regional Court delayed its verdict for a journalist and a lawyer accused of extremism, Novy \u010cas<\/span> reported. The prosecutor demanded six-year prison terms for Pavie\u0142 Ma\u017eejka and Julija Jurhilevi\u010d, who both denied the charges. The trial is set to resume on July 26.<\/p>\n

The Minsk City Court opened a trial for Juryj Adama\u016d, a co-founder of Pamy\u0142ka<\/span>, a popular science zine, Viasna reported. He was arrested in early March and charged with extremist financing over donations for victims of political persecution.<\/p>\n

The Homiel Regional Court opened a trial for businessman Juryj Ta\u0161kina\u016d, who allegedly donated to the BySol Foundation and commented about the war in Ukraine. He is accused of inciting hatred and funding “extremists.”<\/p>\n

Other incidents<\/p>\n

The former heads of Tut.by<\/span>, a popular news website that was shut down by the government, will have their sentences reviewed by the Supreme Court at a closed door session on July 31. Maryna Zo\u0142atava and Ludmi\u0142a \u010cekina were convicted in March of tax evasion, inciting hatred and threatening national security and received 12-year prison terms.<\/p>\n

On July 21, the Supreme Court will hear appeals by three political prisoners, Mika\u0142aj Kula\u0161o\u016d, Anita Bakunovi\u010d and Jahor Kurzin, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n

Authorities extended the term of an anarchist activist’s detention in a punishment cell at Ivacevi\u010dy’s Penal Colony No 5 in the Brest region, Viasna reported. Alaksandar Franckievi\u010d has been held in the cell since March 28.<\/p>\n

The administration of Mahilo\u016d’s Prison No 4 placed political prisoner Ja\u016dhien Afnahiel, coordinator of the European Belarus campaign, in solitary confinement until July 23, Viasna reported. He was sentenced to seven years in a medium security penal colony in May 2021, supposedly for training protesters. He was serving his sentence at Navapo\u0142ack’s Penal Colony No 1 in the Viciebsk region until a judge sent him to the prison in April.<\/p>\n

Human rights defenders identified at least 1,474 political prisoners as of now, but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

July 21, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 20. Arrests Law enforcers in Hrodna arrested Kiry\u0142 Kury\u0142a for participating in protests in 2020 and an online remark, a pro-government media outlet and Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast reported. It is unclear whether investigators are pressing criminal charges against him. Police in Dziar\u017eynsk, Minsk […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-47697","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","rubric-politics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUpdate on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"July 21, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 20. 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