Exiled Biełaruski Hajun founder given 20 years in prison

June 3, Pozirk. A judge in Hrodna has sentenced Anton Matolka, founder of the now defunct defense monitoring project Biełaruski Hajun, to 20 years in prison on extremism-related charges without him being present at the trial, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.
He was also ordered to pay a fine of 84,000 rubels (some $28,000).
Prosecutors accused Matolka of plotting to seize state power by unconstitutional means since late 2020 for running several opposition Telegram channels. Charges against him also included high treason, violent disorder, inciting hatred, calling for sanctions, discrediting the state and publicly insulting Alaksandar Łukašenka among others.
Established in early 2022, Biełaruski Hajun documented military activities of Russian troops in Belarus and helped the Ukrainians assess threats after Russia launched a full-scale war on their country in February 2022. It was forced to shut down earlier this year following a massive data breach.
People who shared information with the group faced politically-motivated persecution in Belarus and many had to flee abroad fearing reprisals.

BySol reports soaring evacuation requests after opposition chat data breach
- Politics, SocietyMałanka Media journalist beaten in VilniusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLithuanian MP appeals to prosecutor’s office regarding Cichanoŭski’s remarksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Germany news, Politics
- PoliticsRights defenders declare eight people to be political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyDeadline misstep leads to deportation for Belarusian family in SwedenThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus shows low coverage of external debt by international reservesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyPoland seizes Belarusian cigarettes hidden in trucksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyMoscow reasserts naming rules for Belarusian Orthodox ChurchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsPoland sanctions Belarusian Cement CompanyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SocietyInterior ministry brands brother of jailed journalist Łosik, 13 others as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyInvestigators uncover drug trafficking route via BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyExplosion wrecks at major gas pipeline near MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- Society
- Politics, SportWorld Sailing: Belarusian athletes can compete as neutralsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- SecurityPoland pulls out of Ottawa TreatyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus to raise childcare benefitThe material is available only to POZIRK+