Rights group: 43 convicted in political criminal cases in April

May 5, BPN. The Viasna Human Rights Center has said that the trend towards criminal prosecution and conviction of citizens for political reasons continued in April.

It said in a report that at least 123 people were targeted with 32 men and 11 women convicted of crimes.

Viasna highlighted the prosecution of prisoners for defying law enforcers’ orders, describing it as a “very negative trend.”

It also pointed out repeated reprisals against those who had already been oppressed.

Last month, Belarusian courts sentenced 28 people to a total of 89.25 years behind bars; two people to three years in open-type correctional institutions; 13 people to 34 years in home confinement. Two persons were fined a total of 9.250 rubels (some $3,700) as an additional punishment.

Those prosecuted for defamation were mostly accused of libeling the head of state, Viasna said.