{"id":91894,"date":"2024-06-20T23:16:46","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T20:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/91894\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"seventeen-more-people-recognized-as-political-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/91894\/","title":{"rendered":"Seventeen more people recognized as political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (pixabay.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 20, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> The human rights community has recognized 17 more people as political prisoners, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The status was granted to three men convicted of violent disorder in connection with protest that followed the disputed presidential election of 2020: Andrej Cimonin (two years in prison), Dzianis Huza\u016d (two years in an open-type corrective facility) and Fiodar Sarokin (compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list also included Baranavi\u010dy residents Arciom Dziohcie\u016d, D\u017amitryj Michalcevi\u010d, Vital Na\u016dharodski, Ivan \u0141apko\u016dski, Alaksandar Novik, Valancin Suciahin and Maksim Chmialnicki, accused of violent disorder, as well as Mika\u0142aj Raspopa\u016d, Viktar \u010c\u0105jka, Aleh Sarhavicki, Maksim Pano\u016d, Lizavieta \u0160ulskaja and Pavie\u0142 Krasucki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, it included Jauhien Hiermanovi\u010d who, in addition to the aforementioned offense, was charged with calling for sanctions against the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The human rights defenders said in a statement that “freedom of peaceful assembly is enshrined in Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.” “No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others,” the article reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rights activists said that spontaneous and self-organized protests were caused by distrust in the results of presidential elections, which were marred by numerous violations and dismissed by the international community as undemocratic and unfair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Citizens’ meetings were peaceful and did not pose a threat to national security or public safety. Nevertheless, the demonstrators were attacked by special units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with disproportionate force, special equipment and weapons. For the first time in the history of Belarus, rubber bullets and water cannons were used against peaceful demonstrators. Stun grenades caused a particularly large damage,” the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the Viasna Human Rights Center, it was signed by the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Belarusian PEN and Pravavaja Inicyjatyva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The human rights community currently recognizes 1,427 people as Belarus’ political prisoners, but the actual number of repressed people is significantly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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