{"id":55915,"date":"2023-12-16T12:55:58","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T09:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=articles&p=55915"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-92","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/55915\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December 16, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 15 as authorities kept punishing dissenting activities online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrests<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahilo\u016d police arrested Alaksiej Baciuko\u016d, former head of the regional history museum, journalist Barys Vyrvi\u010d, former university lecturer Alaksandar Ahieje\u016d and Ihar \u0160arucha, who holds a doctorate in education, the state-run media outlets reported. The arrested are allegedly linked to 6TV.by<\/em> and mogilev.media <\/em>websites recently branded extremist groups in Belarus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The law enforcers also arrested Alaksiej Sieminco\u016d, a lecturer at Belarusian State University, for allegedly following opposition content and sharing Belarusian news with his Russian acquaintances, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bie\u0142aru\u015bbank employee Artur Filipa\u016d was arrested on charges of sharing information with an opposition media project and the Holas initiative that exposed irregularities during the 2020 presidential election, Mediazona<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Hrodna man is under arrest for sharing opposition content and participating in protests, a pro-government Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trials<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 15, Ihar Py\u017ejana\u016d went on trial in Lida, Hrodna region, for allegedly breaking regulations governing mass events, a Telegram channel monitoring politically-motivated persecution in Hrodna and the Hrodna region reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the same day, the regional courts heard cases against Kaciaryna Kachnovi\u010d, Alaksandar Maruk, Siarhiej Michasie\u016d, Valeryj Masalski, Aksana \u0160urankova, Aleh Tankievi\u010d, Volha Chinievi\u010d, \u015aviat\u0142ana Sej and Iryna Bil\u010duk. All were accused of sharing opposition content. The verdicts are unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November, the Hrodna region’s courts heard at least 187 politically-motivated cases, the same Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Homiel Regional Court upheld another one-year prison sentence against jailed opposition activist Palina \u0160arenda-Panasiuk for allegedly disobeying prison administration, the Brest branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center said. She has been in custody since January 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 12, the Committee for State Security (KGB) blacklisted the Rossya Eto Zlo<\/em> chat on the Telegram messaging app as an extremist group, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three days later, the interior ministry said it added 33 more people to its list of \u201cpersons involved in extremist activities,\u201d taking their total to 3,628.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other instances of persecution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mika\u0142aj Kaz\u0142o\u016d, jailed leader of the outlawed United Civic Party, was placed in the penal colony\u2019s internal prison, Viasna reported. In November 2022, authorities sentenced him to two and a half years in prison for allegedly taking part in protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jailed artist Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d\u2019s health worsened significantly, an informed source told Pozirk<\/em>. In May, the 64-year-old was given a three-year prison term on extremism-related charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police searched the Homiel apartment of exiled human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, Viasna said. The search is reportedly linked to new criminal charges against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of December 16, human rights defenders identified at least 1,470 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 16, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on December 15 as authorities kept punishing dissenting activities online. Arrests Mahilo\u016d police arrested Alaksiej Baciuko\u016d, former head of the regional history museum, journalist Barys Vyrvi\u010d, former university lecturer Alaksandar Ahieje\u016d and Ihar \u0160arucha, who holds a doctorate in education, the state-run media […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[14],"class_list":["post-55915","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 16, Pozirk. 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