{"id":68277,"date":"2024-02-20T10:42:25","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T07:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=articles&p=68277"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"update-on-politically-motivated-persecution-2","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/68277\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 20, Pozirk<\/strong>. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were reported from February 17 to 19 as authorities in Belarus stepped up reprisals in the run-up to parliamentary and local elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

At least four people were arrested in connection with the 2020 postelection protests and subscription to media labeled by authorities extremist, pro-government media reported. Police arrested Andrej Sa\u0142apura in Brest, U\u0142adzisla\u016d Abu\u0161enka, Natallia \u017duko\u016dskaja and D\u017amitryj Kuliko\u016dski in Minsk. \u017duko\u016dskaja and Kuliko\u016dski worked for Alfa Radio<\/em>, a state-controlled FM radio station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej Kudzik, a former political prisoner, was sentenced to 15 days in jail after a judge in Ma\u0142adzie\u010dna, Minsk region, had declared his TikTok account extremist content on February 9, Viasna reported. Contact with Kudzik was lost on February 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jail terms and fines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Raha\u010do\u016d, Homiel region, sentenced Ihar Kaval\u010duk, a former Orthodox priest, to 15 days in jail over subscriptions to \u201cextremist\u201d media found by police during an inspection of his mobile device, Chryscianskaja Vizija<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district court in Viciebsk tried journalist Alena \u0160abunia in absentia. She was charged with distributing extremist information and violating the procedure for holding mass events, minor offenses. The ruling is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the journalist, who now lives abroad, authorities charged her after studying her social media. They accused her of subscribing to an \u201cextremist\u201d media outlet and posting a photo of the opposition red-white flag and the Ukrainian and Polish flags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least five people were tried for subscriptions to opposition media. Mika\u0142aj Pu\u0161nika\u016d was ordered to pay a fine, the Viciebsk Ya Gulyau<\/em> Telegram channel reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rulings in the trials of U\u0142adzimir Kalahin in Hrodna, Eduard Pietruc in Zielva, Natallia Kot in A\u0161miany and Kryscina Rama\u0161ka in Dobru\u0161 are unknown, the Viasna Human Rights Center and Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno I Oblast<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district judge in Kobryn, Brest region, fined two women for receiving food parcels from INeedHelp, a solidarity group branded extremist by police, Mediazona.Belarus<\/em> reported. They were found guilty of breaking regulations governing gratuitous foreign aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal persecution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district judge in Sto\u016dbcy, Minsk region, on November 30 sentenced Dzianis Nosa\u016d to two years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional institution after finding him guilty of insulting the head of state, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district judge in Brest on February 14 sentenced Kanstancin Sa\u0142amijuk to two years in prison over several posts critical of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka. The man was arrested in November on his return to Belarus from Poland, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Minsk, a district judge sentenced Raman Kurjanovi\u010d to three years in home confinement and Maksim Bu\u0161\u010dyk to two and a half years in home confinement for alleged public disorder offenses in connection with 2020 postelection protests, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial of Alaksandar Piele\u0161 opened at the Hrodna Regional Court on February 19. He is accused of inciting hatred, insulting an official, desecrating state symbols and insulting a judge, Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno I Oblast<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremist lists<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Committee for State Security (KGB) added the Telegram channel Yugo-Zapad g. Minska<\/em> and Yugo-Zapad<\/em> and Chat Yugo-Zapada g. Minsk<\/em> communities to the list of extremist groups on February 13, according to the interior ministry\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The websites luninies.by<\/em>, baranovichi.by<\/em>, stolin.by<\/em>, several TikTok, Telegram and Odnoklassniki accounts have been branded extremist content, according to a list available at the information ministry\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political prisoners<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nizkiz band members Alaksandar Ilin, Siarhiej Kul\u0161a and D\u017amitryj Chala\u016dkin, as well as Uljana Jakovi\u010d, Aksana Ju\u010dkavi\u010d and Arciom Zakr\u017ee\u016dski have been designated as political prisoners, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All six have been prosecuted under Article 342 Part 1 of the Criminal Code carrying punishment for the organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order or active participation in such actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryhor Kastusio\u016d, chairman of the now defunct Belarusian Popular Front, has complained of failing health, D\u017amitryj Anton\u010dyk, his son in law, said on Facebook Kastusio\u016d, 66, was arrested in April 2021 and sentenced in September 2022 to 10 years in prison for alleged conspiracy to overthrow the government. He is battling with cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An appellate court in Belgrade considered an extradition case against Belarusian video director Andrej Hniot, Deutsche Welle<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court is expected to announce its decision within 30 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serbia arrested Hniot, targeted through Interpol at the request of Minsk, on October 30, 2023. He is accused of an economic offense, but his defense considers the prosecution politically motivated. He is named as a founder of the SOS BY athletics association, which was designated as an \u201cextremist group\u201d in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hniot directed TV commercials and music videos, and is also a journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of February 19, rights groups identified at least 1,423 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":"

February 20, Pozirk. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were reported from February 17 to 19 as authorities in Belarus stepped up reprisals in the run-up to parliamentary and local elections. Arrests At least four people were arrested in connection with the 2020 postelection protests and subscription to media labeled by authorities extremist, pro-government media reported. Police […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[14],"class_list":["post-68277","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","rubric-politics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUpdate on politically-motivated persecution | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"February 20, Pozirk. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were reported from February 17 to 19 as authorities in Belarus stepped up\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/68277\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Update on politically-motivated persecution | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"February 20, Pozirk. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were 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