October 24, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on October 23 with more arrests for following opposition content and verdicts linked to participation in 2020 protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arrests<\/p>\n\n\n\n
D\u017amitryj \u0160\u010darbina, an employee at the Belarusian Steel Works, is under arrest for allegedly participating in 2020 protests, Flagshtok reported. Police released a video of his interrogation on October 19, a week after his arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trials<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities jailed former police officer Siarhiej Valkovi\u010d for the fourth consecutive time for following opposition content, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A judge in Lida, Hrodna region, convicted six people for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut Telegram channel said. A mother of two, an assistant of a person with a disability and a widow with a small child were fined 1,110 rubels (over $340) each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Criminal proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A judge in Minsk sentenced D\u017amitryj Klanicki and Lizaveta Klanickaja to three years of restricted freedom in home confinement, D\u017amitryj Mura\u0161ka, to two and a half years and \u017dana Nahula, to two years and three months, Viasna said. Authorities blacklisted all four as “persons involved in extremist activities” for participating in 2020 protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A judge in Hrodna jailed Siarhiej \u0179mitrovi\u010d for three months for tearing down the state flag from a dormitory building on June 25, Viasna reported. He was released in the courtroom as the jail term expired while he was in custody awaiting trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dzianis Ciare\u0161ka was given 18 months of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility over 2020 protests, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hrodna Regional Court rejected an appeal by pizza chef Siarhiej Botvi\u010d against the five-year prison term given for online comments, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On August 16, a judge in Minsk sentenced businessman Alaksandar Iok\u0161a to two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement over 2020 protests, Viasna said. Authorities also accused him of causing damage of 33,771 rubels (over $10,450) for allegedly blocking traffic during a protest rally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Extremist” content update<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A judge in Lida blacklisted the Belarusian Volunteer Corps’ TV and YouTube channels as well as the Narodnyja Ambasady Bie\u0142arusi and Narodanja Ambasada Bie\u0142arusi u Italii Telegram channels with a total of 460 followers as extremist content, Pozirk<\/em> reported. Other blacklisted content includes the Bie\u0142aruski Hab “Novaja Ziamla” \u016d Bie\u0142astoku, PALATNO Media<\/em> and Pul Poslednego Diktatora<\/em> Telegram channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other instances of persecution<\/p>\n\n\n\n On October 27, the Hrodna Regional Court will hear the liquidation suit filed by local authorities against the S\u0142onim-based children’s hospice, the electronic court schedule says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of October 24, human rights defenders identified at least 1,479 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":" October 24, Pozirk. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on October 23 with more arrests for following opposition content and verdicts linked to participation in 2020 protests. Arrests D\u017amitryj \u0160\u010darbina, an employee at the Belarusian Steel Works, is under arrest for allegedly participating in 2020 protests, Flagshtok reported. Police released a video […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[16,15],"class_list":["post-7498","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","rubric-politics","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n