Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

April 28, BPN. Human rights groups and journalists reported on April 27 new instances of persecution of Belarusians for their political beliefs, with concerns over former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka’s health dominating the headlines.

The imprisoned banker-turned-politician remains at the Navapołack City Hospital, BPN reported. Doctors continue treatment, describing his condition as serious but stable. Officials have not commented on the reasons for his hospitalization. Rabochy Ruch, a worker rights group, said he was taken to hospital early on April 25 with signs of beating.

Arrested and released

In Dniepr, Mahiloŭ district, police arrested Siarhiej Boŭfał, 52, for allegedly insulting police officers, Naša Niva reported citing a pro-government media outlet. He may face criminal charges.

Authorities released Andrej Neściarovič, owner of the Cudoŭnia ethnic shop in Hrodna, after he had spent 13 days in jail, the Pravo Imeyut Telegram channel reported. Local police have been harassing Neściarovič and his business since 2020. This time, they accused him of sharing opposition content and reportedly filed criminal charges against him.

Criminal proceedings

A district judge in Smarhoń, Hrodna region, sentenced Yury Kravchenko, a Russian-born local resident, to 18 months in prison on charges of insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

In Babrujsk, Mahiloŭ region, a district judge sentenced Alaksiej Dziamjančyk to two years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for allegedly abusing state symbols, MAYDAY.TEAM reported.

Ivan Marozaŭ and Hanna Kavalova will go on trial in Minsk on April 28, Viasna said. Authorities accuse them of participating in protests.

Other instances of persecution

Convicted lawyer Vital Brahiniec will appeal his eight-year prison sentence at the Supreme Court today. Brahiniec used to defend jailed Viasna’s leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aleś Bialacki.

Sofia Sapega’s case was transferred to Moscow’s Presnensky District Court which has yet to set the hearing date, Mediazona reported. On April 14, Belarusian authorities granted Sapega’s petition to be extradited to serve her six-year sentence in Russia. Sapega, a Russian national and an alleged administrator of a Belarusian opposition channel on Telegram, was convicted of inciting hatred and illegal handling of personal data.

Belarus’ information security authorities deprived EX-PRESS.BY of its web address without referring the matter to court, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported. In the past two years, the local news website covering news in the Minsk region’s Barysaŭ and Žodzina districts was blacklisted as “extremist content” twice. Belarusian users cannot access its website since August 2022.

As of April 28, human rights defenders identified at least 1,495 political prisoners.