Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution

June 20, BPN. New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on June 19 with nine more people listed as political prisoners.

Arrested and released

Minsk police arrested Siarhiej Panin but did not disclose the charges against him, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. In 2021, Panin served 15 days in jail for displaying a Canadian flag in white and red colors, which authorities considered as protest.

Authorities released Vital Ivaniukovič after he had served two years in prison for online comments, Viasna said.

Ihar Łaptanovič from Pružany, Brest region, was released after spending two and a half years in prison in connection with 2020 protests, the Brest branch of Viasna reported. His wife Julija is still serving her almost five-year-long prison sentence. The couple has three children.

Trials

Ramuald Ułan, an independent journalist in Smarhoń, Hrodna region, was given three days in jail for sharing opposition content, Viasna reported. His term in custody expired at the time of his trial.

Hanna Nanos, a lecturer at Połack State University, Viciebsk region, was fined 1,110 rubels (over $370) for a social media post, the Viciebsk branch of Viasna said.

Criminal proceedings

A judge in Babrujsk, Mahiloŭ region, sentenced Andrej Sinica to three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for participating in 2020 protests, Viasna said. Halina Smirnova and Alaksandr Lavonienka were given two years and 18 months of restricted freedom in home confinement, respectively. Human rights groups consider Sinica and Smirnova political prisoners.

The Minsk City Court has sentenced human rights defender Anastasija Łojka to seven years in prison on charges of inciting hatred, Viasna reported.

Jailed former security officer Uładzimir Kniha, a former volunteer with the Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja presidential campaign, will go on trial in Žodzina, Minsk region, on June 29, according to Viasna. He currently serving a four-year prison term on charges widely seen as politically motivated and is accused of disobeying prison authorities.

Other instances of persecution

Pavieł Dajlid, editor of the independent newspaper Hancavicki Čas in the Brest region, refused to report to the Ivacevičy police station for an interrogation without a summons and a lawyer, the newspaper reported. Police asked him to visit their office after his media outlet had reported the arrest on June 17 of two drunk Russians driving a car with pro-war symbols. One of the arrested men was a Russian contract soldier.

Russian authorities blocked access to the websites of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and the Homiel region’s Flagshtok for users in Russia, Roskomsvoboda Telegram channel reported.

New political prisoners

Belarusian human rights groups labeled nine people as political prisoners, Viasna reported. The charges against them range from abusing state symbols and insulting Alaksandr Łukašenka and public officials to inciting hatred and facilitating extremism.

As of June 20, human rights defenders identified at least 1,495 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.