{"id":102540,"date":"2024-08-29T11:27:28","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T08:27:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/102540\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-authorities-harassing-2020-protesters","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/102540\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: authorities harassing 2020 protesters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August 29, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>New cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus on August 28 included more arrests and trials of regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources reported arrests of a Brest man and a Minsk woman for participating in 2020 postelection protests. Another protest-related arrest is linked to negative posts about Belarusian and Russian authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Siarhiej Skrobat, Alaksandsar Malko\u016d, Ihar \u0160yman\u010dyk and Siarhiej Ho\u016d\u0161a went on trial in Biaroza, Brest region, Viasna reported. All four are accused of violent disorder for allegedly participating in 2020 protest rallies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volha Vasilonak, a cardiologist based in Sianno, Viciebsk region, was tried for sharing opposition content, the Viciebsk branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The woman might have been fired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremism-related cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team and online pages by the orsha.eu<\/em> regional media outlet were branded an extremist group, a pro-government Telegram channel said. In July, police raided the apartment of its exiled editor Ihar Ka\u017amier\u010dak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities also updated their register of blacklisted content, the interior ministry said. New additions feature reform.news<\/em> website; Phoenix OSINT<\/em>, \u017dyvie<\/em>, Fotonegativki<\/em> and Miriy BGUIR Chat<\/em> on Telegram; AChK-Belarus\/ABC-Belarus<\/em> on X and YouTube, \u017dyvie Bie\u0142arus<\/em>, legal_initiative belarus<\/em> and Ksenia<\/em> on TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janina Andrejuk is on trial in Minsk on charges of inciting hatred, association with an extremist group and calling for sanctions, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksijej Kisialo\u016d, an official in charge of sports and tourism at the Vierchniad\u017avinsk executive committee in the Viciebsk region, went on trial in an extremism-related criminal case. Judge Juryj Urban closed the proceedings to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Belarusian national denied asylum by the Swedish Migration Agency was arrested in a politically-motivated case upon his return to Belarus, Sveriges Radio<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian police declared exiled human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka wanted, Viasna reported. Some two months ago, a judge in Homiel sentenced the man to five years in prison without the defendant being present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viasna did not confirm Mediazona<\/em>\u2018s report that a political prisoner died in \u017dodzina, Minsk region, last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of August 29, human rights defenders identified at least 1,368 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities have arrested about 65,000 people for political reasons in the four years since the August 2020 presidential election, Viasna reported in early August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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