{"id":86916,"date":"2024-05-24T11:29:45","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T08:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/86916\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"authorities-step-up-reprisals-ahead-of-coordination-council-vote","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/86916\/","title":{"rendered":"Authorities step up reprisals ahead of Coordination Council vote"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 24, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>On Thursday, authorities continued harassing exiled regime critics who are running in the upcoming Coordination Council election. The team of Pavie\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka and his coalition reported at least 12 searches by the Committee for State Security (KGB) agents, who keep seizing Belarus-based property from activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BelPol association of former law enforcers reported a similar incident at the apartment where the parents of Belarusian-born Polish Olympic sprinter Kry\u015bcina Cimano\u016dskaja live. The athlete is also running in the election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with pressure on exiled activists, pro-government sources on May 23 posted videos of several dissenters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Siarhiej Kusonski, a manager at Conte Lingerie, is under arrest for allegedly placing anti-war posters at his work desk and a history teacher is under arrest in Minsk for following opposition content. The latter may face extremism-related charges for receiving a message from the ByPol resistance group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrested Alaksandar Pta\u0161ynski admitted under duress to participating in 2020 postelection protests and donating money to opposition initiatives. He also may have received the recent ByPol message reportedly sent out to all those who signed up for the opposition Pieramoha Plan to encourage them to vote in the Coordination Council election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brest police arrested Kaciaryna Sierhijevi\u010d and her husband Alaksandar. The woman, whose mother had been convicted of insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, said in a police video that she communicated with the Viasna Human Rights Center, while her husband was accused of participating in 2020 protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iosif Duleba, ex-head of the Belarusian Popular Front’s Viciebsk branch, may face criminal charges after serving 15 days in jail for sharing opposition content, Viasna’s rights defenders from Viciebsk reported. Three weeks ago, authorities blacklisted the FreeInfoBel group on social media that included Duleba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

In early April, a Minsk judge sentenced nail artist Dzijana Ar\u0142ova to three and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement for allegedly insulting \u0141uka\u0161enka and officials in connection with critical social media posts in 2020, Viasna said. She was also fined 8,000 rubels ($2,500).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three days ago, a judge in Viciebsk sentenced Siarhiej Vysocki to the same term in prison and a fine of 16,000 rubels (some $5,000) at a closed-door trial on charges of association with an extremist group, Viasna reported. Authorities also seized his smartphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday, the Investigative Committee filed 10 criminal charges against Aleh Ka\u016dryhin, founder of the New Vision eye clinic chain who resides in Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prosecutor General’s Office had its request granted to restrict access to povestka.org<\/em>, claiming that the website promoted and facilitated draft evasion, its press office said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maryna U\u0142adyka, a prominent campaigner against long prison sentences for drug-related offenses, had served 15 days in jail, MAYDAY.TEAM reported. Police also searched her home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of May 24, human rights defenders identified at least 1,402 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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