{"id":88321,"date":"2024-06-01T13:19:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-01T10:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/88321\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"odihr-slams-belarus-political-trials-in-absentia","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/88321\/","title":{"rendered":"ODIHR slams Belarus\u2019 political trials in absentia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (OSCE)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 1, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) condemned politically-motivated trials in absentia in Belarus as Minsk opened proceedings against 20 prominent exiled Belarusian political analysts and journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Today\u2019s trial in absentia of experts and journalists in Belarus was in clear violation of fair trial rights and the rule of law,” ODIHR said on X, condemning \u201cthe systematic attempt by the authorities to silence dissent.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian investigators claimed that all defendants are linked to \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja, a former opposition presidential candidate forced into exile, accusing them of inciting hatred, conspiracy to overthrow the government and membership in an extremist group, charges often used against the government\u2019s political opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case targets Ryhor Astapenia, director of Chatham House\u2019s Belarus Initiative; sociologist Filip Bikana\u016d; Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s senior political aide Alaksandar Dabravolski; spokeswoman Hanna Krasulina; special representative for elections Alaksandar \u0160\u0142yk; diplomatic adviser Dzianis Ku\u010dynski; RFE\/RL journalist Juryj Drakachrust; Political Sphere institute director Andrej Kazakievi\u010d; researcher Vieranika \u0141apu\u0107ka; Alaksandar \u0141ahviniec of Free Belarus University; journalist Hanna Lubakova; political scientists Maryja Rohava and Piotra Rudko\u016dski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The others are political researcher Lesia Rudnik; SYMPA\/BIPART expert Natalla Rabava; politician Pavie\u0142 Vusa\u016d; Ta\u0107ciana \u010culickaja of Manchester Metropolitan University; political scientists Kaciaryna \u0160macina, Ja\u016dhien Kry\u017eano\u016dski and Vasil Navuma\u016d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourteen of the defendants issued a statement calling the case politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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