{"id":93093,"date":"2024-06-28T12:18:53","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T09:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93093\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-keep-targeting-2020-protesters-dissenters-online-activities","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/93093\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals keep targeting 2020 protesters, dissenters\u2019 online activities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

June 28, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> In new instances of politically-motivated persecution <\/a>documented in Belarus on June 27 authorities kept punishing online dissent and blacklisting opposition content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police arrested Rus\u0142an Raho\u016dski and at least two others in H\u0142ybokaje, Viciebsk region, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. In a police video, they admitted to following and sharing opposition content on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raman Lichadzie\u016dski was arrested after a provocation in an online chat, a pro-government source said, claiming that the man “incited hatred” and “promoted extremism.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar Rudnika\u016d from Re\u010dyca, Homiel region, as well as Darja Kale\u015bni\u010denka, Raisa Kalenik and Alaksiej Smo\u0161\u010dyk were tried in the Hrodna region for allegedly sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut <\/em>Telegram channel said. Rudnika\u016d was jailed, other verdicts are unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On June 17, a judge in Minsk sentenced Anton Puha\u010d from Ma\u0142adzie\u010dna, Minsk region, to 18 months in prison for insulting the head of state and officials in connection with critical social media posts, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded the website, social media and logo of the Youth Bloc opposition initiative extremist content, the information ministry said. Other blacklisted accounts include Siarhei Trafimau<\/em>, Sustrecha Hub <\/em>and Bel Veteran<\/em> on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protests<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hrodna police arrested a married couple, most likely Leanid and Antanina Cierabiej, for participating in 2020 posteleciton protests, Pravo Imeyut<\/em> said. The woman was reportedly placed under house arrest as the family is raising a small child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalla Jarec, Palina \u010carapok, Volha Bahdanovi\u010d and Michai\u0142 Vurje were tried in Hrodna on June 27 on protest-related charges, the same channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Jailed opposition activist Palina \u0160arenda-Panasiuk was ordered to undergo the fourth mental health examination, the Brest branch of Viasna reported. The woman has been in custody since 2021. On May 21, the day of her expected release, officials accused her of defying the prison administration’s orders, a charge routinely used by authorities to keep opponents in prisons longer. Rights groups consider \u0160arenda-Panasiuk’s persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jailed journalist Ihar Karniej was transferred to Penal Colony No 17 in the Mahilo\u016d region to serve his three-year prison term, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of June 28, human rights defenders identified at least 1,420 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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Belarus worst-performing in eradicating torture for fifth consecutive year<\/h3>\n
June 27, Pozirk. Experts have awarded Belarus a junk grade for its failure to prohibit torture, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported, quoting the Civic Solidarity Platform's working group. The country is bottom-ranked in the Prohibition of Torture Index for …<\/div>\n \n