{"id":63864,"date":"2024-01-30T11:56:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-30T08:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=articles&p=63864"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-121","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/63864\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

January 30, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on January 29 with reprisals continuing unabated against any manifestations of dissent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrested and released<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 23, opposition activist Barys Chamajda was arrested in Viciebsk for following opposition content, he said on his Facebook page. Two days later, a judge found that the subscriptions in question were made during his time in detention. Chamajda was released, with the next hearing scheduled for February 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police arrested a man for making “about 37 donations” amounting to \u20ac350 and $30, a pro-government source said. He was reportedly forced to “compensate” authorities for donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trade unionist Zinaida Michniuk was released after she had served two years in prison for allegedly insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, the Brest branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On December 12, a judge in Navapo\u0142ack, Viciebsk region, jailed Naftan oil refinery employee Ja\u016dhien Michaj\u0142o\u016dski for 15 days for posting a video of the Sumarok rock band on VKontakte, the Viciebsk branch of Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In mid-December, another Naftan employee Maryja Han\u010duk was fined 740 rubels (about $232) for following SYMBAL.BY, Radyjo Svaboda<\/em>, Belsat<\/em>, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> and Nexta<\/em> on social media, Viasna’s Viciebsk branch said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 29, judges in the Hrodna region heard cases against Alena Lanhnier, D\u017amitryj Puzynia and Alaksandra Kulahina accused of sharing opposition content, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. <\/em>Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel reported. The verdicts remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Drahi\u010dyn, Brest region, jailed journalist Siarhiej Hardzijevi\u010d for 15 days for reposting an article from Hancavicki \u010cas<\/em>, a local media outlet that authorities deem extremist, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New criminal charges<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities filed criminal charges against Nizkiz band members Alaksandar Illin, Siarhiej Kul\u0161a and D\u017amitryj Chala\u016dkin, MAYDAY.TEAM said on Telegram. The exact charges are unknown. The musicians have been in custody since January 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Andrej Savinski was given five years in prison and fined 7,400 rubels ($2,324) on charges of inciting hatred and financing extremism, Viasna reported. Prosecutors claimed that he had been regularly making donations to opposition initiatives and posted four insulting comments in one of the chats on Telegram. Human rights groups consider him a political prisoner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Minsk sentenced engineer Michai\u0142 Sta\u016dro\u016d to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement for allegedly insulting former Interior Minister Juryj Karaje\u016d and the Council of Republic Chairwoman Natalla Ka\u010danava online, Viasna reported. The man was also ordered to pay a fine of 3,700 rubels ($1,162).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar Ciare\u0161\u010danka, a former employee of the National Bank of Belarus, went on trial in Minsk for allegedly financing extremism, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extermist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded Fund of Belarus Friend LTD as an extremist group, the Committee for State Security said. Belarusians Aleh Stefanovi\u010d and Alaksandar Syryca are reportedly involved in its activities that focus on helping victims of politically-motivated reprisals in Belarus. The fund’s online pages were last updated in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities also blacklisted several opposition Telegram channels and chats as extremist, including Na\u0161a Niva Ukrainskoiu<\/em>, Kadravy Rezerv<\/em>, URBANOVICH<\/em>, Protesty v Mire<\/em>, \u015aviadomy Zmahar<\/em> as well as Poland.Business Harbour_Belarus<\/em> and Ona Razvalilas<\/em> with more than 10,000 and 20,000 followers, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A flu epidemic broke out at Navapo\u0142ack\u2019s Penal Colony No 1, MAYDAY.TEAM said. The prison’s medical ward is reportedly overcrowded, while hundreds of inmates suffer from an acute respiratory viral infection. Prison authorities banned phone calls because of the epidemic. About 190 people are imprisoned there on charges widely seen as politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of January 30, human rights defenders identified at least 1,418 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":"

January 30, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on January 29 with reprisals continuing unabated against any manifestations of dissent. Arrested and released On January 23, opposition activist Barys Chamajda was arrested in Viciebsk for following opposition content, he said on his Facebook page. Two days later, a judge found that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-63864","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=\"January 30, Pozirk. 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