{"id":97402,"date":"2024-07-25T12:06:08","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T09:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/97402\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-more-regime-critics-accused-of-extremist-links","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/97402\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: more regime critics accused of extremist links"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 25, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 24, as rights groups declared 13 more people political prisoners. Authorities accused them of high treason, supporting extremism, insulting the head of state and similar crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported the release of Darja \u0141osik, Tamara Astreika, \u015aviat\u0142ana \u0141upa\u010d, Kaciaryna Madziankova and Palina Pa\u0142avinka on July 3 under an amnesty program. The women were serving prison terms on charges widely seen as politically motivated.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources reported two arrests linked to government-critical comments on social media. One of the arrested participated in 2020 postelection protests and was wounded by a rubber bullet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volha Litvina, Alaksiej Lucenka, Alaksandar Papko\u016dski, Mika\u0142aj Siamiona\u016d, Piotr Siemie\u0161, Maryja Stankievi\u010d and Vadzim \u0160\u010darbianok were tried in the Viciebsk region’s courts for sharing opposition content, Viasna\u2019s Viciebsk branch said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremism-related cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry reported an extremist group designation to the Propovednik project, blacklisting its social media pages and identifying U\u0142adzimir \u0160pak as a member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities accused D\u017amitryj Karniajenka, a member of Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija working group in the opposition Coordination Council, of facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups, the activist said on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table tennis coach Juryj \u0141ahadziuk and Iryna Takar\u010duk, mother of exiled blogger Volha Takar\u010duk, face similar charges. \u0141ahadziuk\u2019s trial opened in Brest yesterday, while Takar\u010duk will be tried in Minsk on August 1. Both are over 60 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guitarist U\u0142adzimir Navumovi\u010d has been on trial in Hrodna since July 15 for insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and association with an extremist group, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

In mid-May, Siarhiej Jafima\u016d was given an additional year in prison for disobeying prison administration, a charge often used by the Belarusian authorities to keep their opponents behind bars longer, Viasna said. Earlier, Jafima\u016d had been sentenced to one year on similar charges on top of the three years for threatening law enforcers with violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prison authorities deprived opposition activist Uladzimir Hundar of another short-term visit, Radyjo Racyja <\/em>reported, citing sources close to his family. The man has a disability and is serving a 20-year prison term in a politically-motivated case. Last year, he was transferred to a closed prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police searched the home of journalist Ihar Ka\u017amier\u010dak who works for orsha.eu<\/em>, an independent local media outlet from the Viciebsk region, the Belarusian Association of Journalists said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of July 25, human rights defenders identified at least 1,380 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

\n\n
\n \"\"