{"id":78040,"date":"2024-04-06T12:44:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-06T09:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/78040\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"authorities-kept-up-reprisals-against-opponents-in-march-rights-group","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/78040\/","title":{"rendered":"Authorities kept up reprisals against opponents in March \u2013 rights group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Viasna Human Rights Center)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

April 6, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> In March, human rights defenders added 38 names to the list of political prisoners, which had more than 1,400 entries by the end of the month, with 171 women among them, says a recent report by the Viasna Human Rights Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities continued abusing human rights and persecuting opponents while intensifying belligerent rhetoric both in foreign and domestic policies, it noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna recorded at least 453 cases of reprisals last month, including 416 cases of politically-motivated trials for alleged minor offences, such as insulting Alaksandar \u0141ukasenka and officials or violating the rules for holding mass events. Judges reportedly imposed at least 82 jail terms and 86 fines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna also noted at least 314 cases of persecution for sharing opposition content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities kept punishing participants in 2020 postelection protests with restricted freedom and prison terms, handing down at least 21 sentences on protest-related criminal charges in March, rights defenders said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official register of “extremist” groups was expanded by 11 entries, while courts passed 125 rulings to blacklist opposition content in March, Viasna noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 113 names were added to the list of people allegedly “involved in extremist activities,” including two Russians and one Ukrainian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 6, human rights defenders identified at least 1,396 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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