{"id":94533,"date":"2024-07-09T11:14:32","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T08:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94533\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-180","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94533\/","title":{"rendered":"Police arrest 11 in raid on tent camp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 9, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution <\/a>were documented in Belarus from July 6 to 8, as riot police raided a tent camp near Pinsk, Brest region, arresting 11 people who gathered there for a concert, Mediazona<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other arrests were linked to harassment of dissenters and punishment of online activities. Businessman Alaksandar Mickievi\u010d was arrested in \u017dodzina, Minsk region, for participating in 2020 postelection protests, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. In a police video, he also admitted to being photographed with a white-red-white flag at a wedding a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another \u017dodzina resident, Kaciaryna Mickievi\u010d, is under arrest on similar charges, Mediazona<\/em> said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna also reported the arrest of Vashi Guli, a restaurant owner from Lida, Hrodna region, for sharing opposition content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A woman was arrested after police officers identified her in a picture with a white-red-white flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u00c9migr\u00e9 opposition politicians Anatol Kota\u016d, Ja\u016dhien Vilski, Vieranika Capka\u0142a, Volha Kara\u010d and architect Vadzim D\u017amitranok were sentenced to 12 years in prison on extremism-related charges after a trial in absentia, according to the Prosecutor General\u2019s Office. Authorities also ordered them to pay large fines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Brest sentenced Iryna Pahadajeva to three years in prison on charges of facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups, BG.media<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hrodna Regional Court opened hearing in a case against Ale\u015b Kirkievi\u010d, a former deputy head of Ma\u0142ady Front opposition youth organization who later pursued a career in journalism, without the defendant being present, Viasna said. He is also accused of facilitating extremism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In mid-June, a judge in Brest sentenced Polish national Tomasz Bieroza to 14 years in prison on espionage charges, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, authorities branded 19 more people as “persons involved in extremist activities,” including six political prisoners, Pozirk <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of July 9, human rights defenders identified at least 1,421 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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Exiled politicians sentenced to 12 years in prison after trial in absentia<\/h3>\n
July 8, Pozirk. \u00c9migr\u00e9 opposition politicians Anatol Kota\u016d, Ja\u016dhien Vilski, Vieranika Capka\u0142a, Volha Kara\u010d and architect Vadzim D\u017amitranok have been sentenced to 12 years in prison, the Prosecutor General's Office has said. Prosecutors accused former Presidential Administration employee Kota\u016d and …<\/div>\n \n