{"id":80599,"date":"2024-04-18T12:44:52","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T09:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80599\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-165","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80599\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 18, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on April 17 as rights groups added 11 new names to the political prisoners’ list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Police arrested a couple for participating in 2020 postelection protests, a pro-government source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dzianis Jakavienka was arrested in Brest on similar charges, Meziazona <\/em>reported. Authorities also accuse him of allegedly throwing stones at law enforcers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry’s organized crime unit arrested a 27-year-old man in Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region, its press office reported. Law enforcers claim to have found large amounts of small arms and ammunition in his house, including “pistols, machine guns, grenades, cartridges, as well as communication equipment and cold steel.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge in Miory, Viciebsk region, jailed Siarhiej Vasilje\u016d, a former political prisoner and Christian Democratic activist, for 15 days on charges of unauthorized picketing, the Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija initiative reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Minsk fined opposition activist Nina Bahinskaja, 77, 2,000 rubels (about $610) for wearing a white-red-white badge, Belsat<\/em> TV<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On April 18, Andrej \u0141apacin will go on trial in Minsk on charges of financing extremism, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej Tom\u010dyk has been on trial in Hrodna since April 17 for allegedly slandering Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 2, Dzianis Mikita was given three years in prison for allegedly insulting \u0141uka\u0161enka, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juryj Va\u016d\u010dkievi\u010d was sentenced in Hrodna on March 27 to one year in prison on similar charges, according to Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Investigative Committee charged Viktar Ka\u0142\u0142aur, who used to live in Stolin, Brest region, with slander, inciting hatred and insulting officials under special proceedings that target those living abroad and evading contact with investigators. The man is on the wanted list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded Skrytaya Pravda o Zhizni v Belarusi<\/em> Odnoklassniki page, Belarusians of Washington DC<\/em> X account, Alexandr Kazarovec’s Facebook page as well as Dobraya Belarus<\/em> and Mimokhodom<\/em> on TikTok as extremist content, the information ministry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 18, human rights defenders identified at least 1,390 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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