{"id":73572,"date":"2024-03-16T23:33:16","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T20:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/73572\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-144","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/73572\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 16, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Security forces in Brest arrested Alaksiej Samojluk for alleged participation in protests, Mediazona<\/em> reported. A pro-government Telegram channel called him an anarchist. A police officer kneeled on the man’s back to hold him down on the flood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers arrested Alaksandar \u0160yd\u0142o\u016dski, a teacher with 20 years of experience, Mediazona<\/em> reported. Police released a video of him saying that he supported protests and Ukrainians’ “neo-Nazi views.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers arrested a man suspected of protesting and posting comments in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Police released a video of him saying that he signed up for the oppositions Pieramoha Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Krynica beer factory worker was arrested for affiliation with the Pieramoha Plan, a pro-government news outlet reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrests were made at the private company RinaPlastic in \u0160\u010du\u010dyn, Hrodna region, the Viasna center reported. Police suspect staff of spreading extremism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Mahilo\u016d resident was arrested. He said in a police video that he had “repeatedly participated in unauthorized mass events” and “posted comments.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On February 21, a district court in Minsk sentenced Anastasija Malevi\u010d, who worked for LG in Belarus, to seven days in jail for defying police orders, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A court in the A\u0161miany district, Hrodna region, fined a mother of eight minors 1,000 rubels (some $300) for allegedly producing or spreading extremist content, Pravo Imeyut<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, authorities arrested at least three people after checking their phones at the Beniakoni and Brest border checkpoints, Viasna reported. Two men were sentenced to 10 days in jail and one man, to six days for allegedly producing or spreading extremist content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mika\u0142aj Hajduk and U\u0142adzimir Arcyman were tried in Hrodna on extremism charges, Pravo Imeyut<\/em> reported. The verdict is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iryna Davidovi\u010d, an activist from I\u016dje, Hrodna region, was tried on an unauthorized picketing charge after being released from jail, where she had served 10 days for allegedly producing or spreading extremist content, Pravo Imeyut<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Homiel Regional Court sentenced Ukrainian national Nataliya Zakharchenko to nine years in prison under a Criminal Code article against espionage, Radyjo Svaboda<\/em> reported. Zakharchenko was tried with her Belarusian friend \u0141arysa Krupa. The friend was fined 4,000 rubels (over $1,200) for \u201cfailure to report a crime,\u201d Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political prisoners Alena and Piotr Patapovi\u010d were sentenced to three years of restricted freedom, a type of home confinement, Mediazona <\/em>reported. They were in custody since December 2023 for allegedly disturbing public order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Baranavi\u010dy District and City Court sentenced Ta\u0107ciana Makarava to 2.5 years of restricted freedom in home confinement and a fine of 4,000 rubles, finding her guilty of illegal handling of personal data, Viasna Brest reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A district court in Hrodna sentenced Michai\u0142 Le\u0161ukovi\u010d to two years of restricted freedom for allegedly defaming the head of state, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mazyr District Court sentenced 57-year-old local resident Iryna Sapryhina to two years and seven months of restricted freedom for allegedly insulting the head of state, dissidentby reported. She must also pay a fine of 1,000 base amounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 26, a judge will try anarchist D\u017amitryj Rezanovi\u010d, a political prisoner, for defying the orders of prison authorities, the Anarchist Black Cross reported. Rezanovi\u010d is serving a 19-year prison sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 19, a regional judge will try Ma\u0142adzie\u010dna entrepreneur Alaksandar Vierasovi\u010d accused of extremism funding over donations to opposition and solidarity groups , Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported. He is also accused of participating in an armed conflict abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremism lists<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry added 18 people, including three women, to the list of “persons involved in extremist activities,” according to an online register. The list has 3,882 entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of March 16, human rights defenders identified at least 1,410 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":"

March 16, Pozirk. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 15. Arrests Security forces in Brest arrested Alaksiej Samojluk for alleged participation in protests, Mediazona reported. A pro-government Telegram channel called him an anarchist. A police officer kneeled on the man’s back to hold him down on the flood. Law enforcers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":63993,"template":"","rubric":[16],"class_list":["post-73572","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-politics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUpdate on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"March 16, Pozirk. New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 15. 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