{"id":76292,"date":"2024-03-29T11:26:29","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T08:26:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/76292\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-153","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/76292\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 29, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 28 as authorities continued punishing online dissent activities and targeted human rights defenders’ networks inside the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Committee for State Security agents arrested church historian Illa Vi\u0161nie\u016dski in Minsk on March 26, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija said on Telegram. Authorities did not disclose the reason for the arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 40-year-old Brest man was arrested for attending public court hearings in criminal cases linked to the persecution of government opponents, the interior ministry’s press office reported. He is accused of taking notes of the proceedings for the Viasna Human Rights Center, which authorities branded an extremist group last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A man from the Minsk region was arrested for intentions to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a source linked to the law enforcers said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early on March 27, police arrested Ivan Skuratovi\u010d in the Homiel’s region Raha\u010do\u016d district, Viasna said. The reason remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A man is under arrest in \u0160\u010du\u010dyn, Hrodna region, for allegedly commenting on the March 22 concert hall attack in Russia, a pro-government Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Hrodna man was arrested for alleged “calls to bomb Russian cities” and insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and Belarusian law enforcers in social media, a pro-government Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On March 25, police arrested opposition activist Nina Bahinskaja, 77, and kept her at a police department for the whole day, Belsat<\/em> TV channel reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers reportedly found a white-red-white flag in her apartment. Bahinskaja was accused of a minor offense and will go on trial soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge in Homiel sentenced cycling activist \u015aviat\u0142ana Karol to 18 months in prison on charges of slandering \u0141uka\u0161enka and inciting hatred, Viasna’s Homiel branch reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded two articles run by the German Die Tageszeitung<\/em> extremist content, the information ministry’s website says. Other blacklisted content includes Bielarusy Brytanii<\/em>, Tutej\u0161y \u0160lyachci\u010d<\/em>, Fili\u017canka<\/em>, Belarus Women’s Foundation<\/em> and Baranki Punx<\/em> on Telegram; belarus_in_america<\/em>, razam. bremen<\/em>, hrystyna_kafka<\/em> on Instagram; Belarusian Christian Democrats’ Odnoklassniki account as well as Belarusian volunteers<\/em>, Volnyruh<\/em>, bel. info.today24<\/em>, and NAU Belarus<\/em> on TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry designated the founders, administrators and online communities linked to the Association of Belarusians in America as an extremist group, its website said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On April 1, the extrajudicial board of Serbia’s Supreme Administrative Court will examine an extradition case against Belarusian filmmaker Andrej Hniot. Serbian border guards arrested Hniot and handed him over to police in October 2023, since Belarus put him on an international wanted list. On March 12, the Serbian Court of Appeal overruled the extradition decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Belarusian human rights groups declared seven people as political prisoners. They all were charged or convicted of extremism-related crimes in connection with their civic position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of March 29, human rights defenders identified at least 1,405 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\n\n\n

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