{"id":86003,"date":"2024-05-20T11:58:04","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T08:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/86003\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-police-raiding-exiles-homes-across-belarus-200-people-targeted","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/86003\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: police raiding exiles\u2019 homes across Belarus, 200 people targeted"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 20, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Over the past weekend, police raided the homes of exiled regime critics. The searches are linked to the extremism-related charges filed four days ago against 104 activists, who celebrated the 106th<\/sup> anniversary of the Belarusian independence proclamation two months ago. About 200 people may be targeted, Mediazona<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Homiel branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center also recorded criminal proceedings against participants in 2020 postelection protests: Ja\u016dhien \u010cykida and U\u0142adzis\u0142a\u016d \u010cas\u0142a\u016dski went on trial in \u017d\u0142obin, Homiel region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michai\u0142 Zubko\u016d, Alaksandar Ajnutdzina\u016d, Vital Fiesik, Alaksandar Francuza\u016d and D\u017amitryj \u0160a\u016d\u010denka are free after serving prison terms in cases widely seen as politically motivated, human rights defenders said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ajnutdzina\u016d was persecuted for intentions to join Belarusian volunteers fighting Russia in Ukraine, while the others were convicted of protest- or extremism-related crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities also released Ihar Ha\u0142u\u0161ka after he had served two and a half years in prison on charges of inciting hatred and insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka online, Flagshtok <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities also continued punishing online content creators and followers: ten days ago, a judge in \u0160umilina, Viciebsk region, jailed Andrej Bublas for sharing opposition content, Viasna’s Viciebsk branch said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aleh Vajtu\u0161ka, Alaksandar Mukasiej, Alaksandar Karavaj\u010dyk and Natalla Patuk were tried in the Hrodna region on similar charges, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel said. Viktal Pa\u016d\u0142o\u016dski was accused of sharing Nazi symbols. The verdicts remain unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources reported two arrests in Mahilo\u016d in connection with politically-sensitive social media posts. One of the arrested was accused of posting about 7,000 comments critical of \u0141uka\u0161enka and may face criminal charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Store security guard Juryj Katovi\u010d was fined 200 rubels ($62) in Pastavy, Viciebsk region, for allegedly sharing online personal data of D\u017amitryj Ivanienka\u016d, a former spokesman for FC Viciebsk, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors filed criminal charges against unidentified suspects for critical comments about the Minsk district’s prosecutor in the Dzikaje Palava\u0144nie Chat <\/em>on Telegram. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a separate incident, the Andrej Buka. Dumki \u016ds\u0142ych<\/em> Telegram channel with seven followers was blacklisted as extremist content. The channel may be inactive, as its last post dates back to February 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of May 20, human rights defenders identified at least 1,362 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

\n\n
\n \"\"