{"id":53932,"date":"2023-12-07T12:28:19","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T09:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=articles&p=53932"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-86","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/53932\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December 7, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 6.

Arrests

Authorities detained Alaksandar \u017duk, a former political prisoner from Brest. According to preliminary information, he is charged with participating in a protest after the 2020 election. \u017duk had been sentenced to 1.5 years of restricted freedom in the “round dance case” and sent to an open prison. He was released in July 2022, Viasna reported.

Raman Dudkin, 32, was also detained. He allegedly “posted many comments containing insults to Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and officers of the internal affairs bodies using obscene language,” a pro-government media outlet said.

Natalla \u0141a\u016drova was detained in Barysa\u016d, Minsk region, Viasna reported. She was summoned to a police station on December 2 and locked up.

In Minsk, a perfume company CEO and his girlfriend were detained for protesting in 2020. Security forces released a video of the woman saying that she donated to the ByPol association. The status of the detainees is unknown.

Trials

The Lida District Court, Hrodna region, fined a local woman 1,110 rubels (some $340) for liking the logo of the Novosti Belarusi ot Reform.by<\/em> group on Odnoklassniki, although the logo is not banned, according to Reform.by<\/em>.

Alena \u0160uk and Valancina Razvado\u016dskaja, employees of the Miory Central District Hospital in the Viciebsk region, were fined 740 rubels each for subscribing to the page Zerkalo<\/em> on Instagram. Law enforcers accused them of spreading extremist content, said the Telegram channel Viciebsk, Ya Gulyayu!<\/em>

The Navahrudski District Court, Hrodna region, considered the case of Valancin Haradnicki, charged with spreading extremist content, reported the Telegram channel Pravo Imeyut<\/em>. The verdict is unknown.

On November 16, a district court in Viciebsk fined doctor Antonava (name unknown) 925 rubels for “extremist content” on social media, Viasna Viciebsk reported.

In Lida, Hrodna region, three employees of a concrete plant were sentenced to 10-15 days in jail for alleged extremist content, reported the Telegram channel Zaderzhaniya, Sudy v Lide<\/em>.

A district court in Brest sentenced 30-year-old Ihar Niamirovi\u010d, who returned to Belarus through the repatriation commission, to a year in prison. The man was found guilty of insulting \u0141uka\u0161enka with an Instagram post, Viasna said. Niamirovi\u010d was detained in early May 2022 and placed under house arrest. He fled the country only to return on September 27 and ended up in jail.

On September 8, a district court in Minsk sentenced foreign national Aleksandr Smirnov, 25, to three years in prison. He was found guilty of hooliganism and insulting state symbols, Viasna said.

The Va\u016dkavysk District Court in the Hrodna region is considering whether to change the detention regime for political prisoner Pavie\u0142 Vinahrada\u016d. The prominent opposition activist was sentenced to five years in prison under three articles of the Criminal Code. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in detention, Pravo Imeyut<\/em> said.

Extremism lists

Authorities declared the Dyatlovo Dlya Zhizni<\/em> project on Telegram an extremist group, according to the interior ministry.

Other

The house of journalist Barys Vyrvi\u010d in the Bia\u0142yni\u010dy district, Mahilo\u016d region, was searched, Viasna reported. The man himself was not arrested.

In H\u0142ybokaje, Viciebsk region, authorities searched the apartment of journalist D\u017amitryj \u0141upa\u010d, who left Belarus in 2021. His 29-year-old daughter \u015aviat\u0142ana \u0141upa\u010d was detained on May 7 and charged with disturbing public order, Viasna reported. Human rights defenders declared her a political prisoner.

Between the 2020 presidential election and the end of November 2023, the government wiped out at least 1,481 NGOs, such as associations, trade unions, and foundations, to suppress civic activity in Belarus, the Lawtrend human rights group said in a report.

As of November 30, 146 cultural workers were in detention, Belarusian PEN reported.

Releases

At least 25 political prisoners were released in November, 22 of whom served their sentences in full, Viasna reported.

As of December 7, human rights defenders identified at least 1,451 political prisoners 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":"

December 7, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 6. Arrests Authorities detained Alaksandar \u017duk, a former political prisoner from Brest. According to preliminary information, he is charged with participating in a protest after the 2020 election. \u017duk had been sentenced to 1.5 years of restricted freedom in the “round […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-53932","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=\"December 7, Pozirk. 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