{"id":77281,"date":"2024-04-03T11:14:24","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T08:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/77281\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-155","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/77281\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 3, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on April 2 as authorities kept punishing dissenters, exiled activists and supporters of opposition initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Police arrested at least five people for comments about a traffic policeman killed in a road accident, a pro-government source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities released Siarhiej Sa\u0142ocha, Raman Sidziuk, Kiry\u0142 Kanapacki and Alaksandar Sinica after they had served prison terms ranging from four years to 18 months given on politically-motivated charges, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

D\u017amitryj Ku\u010duk, former chairman of the outlawed Belarusian Greens Party, is accused of gross violations of public order, the Parlamenstky Kanal <\/em>Telegram channel reported. Ku\u010duk is the seventh party leader in Belarus to end up behind bars after his arrest on February 16 as he tried to commemorate the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in front of the Russian embassy in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two months ago, the Committee for State Security (KGB) arrested two groups of people it described as \u201cterrorists,\u201d claiming that they worked for the Ukrainian security services in the Brest region, said a documentary broadcast on Monday evening by the ONT <\/em>TV channel. Authorities accuse them of committing a terrorist act as an organized group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities accused two Hrodna women of abusing state symbols for tearing down a state flag and trying to set it on fire, a pro-government source said<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Investigative Committee said it filed criminal charges against a 74-year-old man from Chojniki, Homiel region, for posting more than 1,500 comments on the Telegram messaging app that allegedly insulted officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region, sentenced eight locals to prison terms for participating in 2020 postelection protests, the Supreme Court reported, noting that one of the defendants was a convicted murderer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 15, Ja\u016dhien Pal\u010dyk from Krupki, Minsk region, was given 18 months of restricted freedom in home confinement and fined 4,000 rubels (about $1,230) for commenting on Telegram about former head of the Penal Colony No 1 in Navapo\u0142ack, Viciebsk region, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Minsk sentenced a man, presumably businessman Alaksandar Vierasovi\u010d, to six years in prison for donations to the BySol Solidarity Fund and Belarusian volunteers fighting Russia in Ukraine, Mediazona.Belarus<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IT engineer Siarhiej Zabieli\u010d went on trial in Minsk for donations to opposition initiatives, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian Investigative Committee said it filed extremism-related charges against two exiled Belarusians – head of the Polish Okno na Wsch\u00f3d foundation Pavie\u0142 Mickievi\u010d and opposition activist Dzianis \u010ca\u0161\u010davik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry said it updated its register of “extremist” content, adding Viasna’s TikTok account and its bots on Telegram; VideoBGLive<\/em> on YouTube; BySol’s and Belarusian-Canadian Alliance’s X pages; websites and social media of litci.org\/ru<\/em>, deputatov.net and others. Vyzvale\u0144ne<\/em> newspaper, Viktar Lachor’s book about military banners and uniforms and the video address of Belarusian doctors about COVID-19 were also blacklisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Viasna confirmed the arrests of its Brest region’s volunteers Alaksiej Ramanovi\u010d and Alaksandar Vajcie\u0161yk whom authorities accused of facilitating extremism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017amitryj Panamaro\u016d, a businessman from \u017d\u0142obin, Homiel region, remains in custody after serving 10 days in jail for sharing opposition content, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 3, human rights defenders identified at least 1,393 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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