More than 1,700 politically-motivated convictions last year – Viasna

January 15, Pozirk. Belarusian judges convicted 1,721 people, including 480 women, for political reasons in 2024, the Viasna Human Rights Center said in a new report.

Since the beginning of reprisals in 2020 and until the end of 2024, at least 6,550 were prosecuted, including 1.380 women.

Human rights activists documented 1,265 political prisoners in Belarus in late December, 168 women among them.

Since summer 2020, the human rights community has recognized 3,697 people as political prisoners, including 680 women.

Last year, at least 8,895 people faced various kinds of prosecution-related pressure, such as arrests, interrogations and searches. A quarter of victims were women.

Courts issued at least 5,890 politically-motivated sentences under the Administrative Offenses Code last year.

Human rights activists note that authorities hold political prisoners in particularly harsh conditions, under strict control, imposing unlawful restrictions. Inmates are often deprived of visits and parcels, including medicines. Their correspondence is also restricted.

“More than 10 political prisoners have been held incommunicado. Four political prisoners died in penal colonies and remand centers in 2024,” the report said.

It stated that officers subject political prisoners to forced low-paid labor and strict control beyond the usual supervision upon their release. They additionally limit opponents’ rights by including them in the extremism list.

At the same time, “the courts continue to function as an instrument of repression against defendants in politically motivated administrative, criminal and civil cases,” Viasna said.

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