{"id":108323,"date":"2024-10-08T12:10:44","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T09:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108323\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-regime-critic-kalesnikava-held-incommunicado-for-600-days","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/108323\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: Kale\u015bnikava held incommunicado for 600 days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 8, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>Maryja Kale\u015bnikava, a campaign manager of former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka, has been held in prison incommunicado for 600 days, Babaryka’s associates said on Telegram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u015aciapan \u0141atypa\u016d, another imprisoned government critic, hurt himself numerous times protesting against mistreatment at Penal Colony No 22 in the Brest region, zerkalo.io<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus from October 5 to 7 included punishment for dissidents’ online activities. Pro-government sources reported two arrests for comments and information shared with opposition Telegram channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior was brutally arrested for commenting on the news about the September 23 attack on law enforcers in Mahilo\u016d, another pro-government source said, without disclosing his current whereabouts or charges against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ina Kli\u0161evi\u010d was tried in Lida, Hrodna region, for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut<\/em> Telegram channel said. The sentence is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge from Branavi\u010dy, Brest region, branded the Telegram account by the Russian Memorial rights group as extremist content. Other blacklisted pages include Viasnianka 98% <\/em>chat and MAMA BLUNT<\/em> on Telegram; belarusiancentre_lt<\/em>, tasia_valoszka_art<\/em> and hub.belastok <\/em>on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juryj Ziankovi\u010d, a Belarusian-US lawyer serving a sentence for alleged conspiracy to assassinate Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, was given two more years in prison in August, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. The judge found him guilty of disobeying prison authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sierhiej Ni\u010dyparuk, Alaksandar Klima\u0161evi\u010d and Ja\u016dhien By\u010dko went on trial on protest-related charges in Brest on Monday, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the same day, the Minsk Regional Court opened proceedings against Anton Kon\u010dyc accused of facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry announced 13 new additions to the list of \u201cpersons involved in extremist activities\u201d on Friday, taking the total of entries to 4,489. All blacklisted people were convicted on criminal charges that Belarusian authorities use to persecute political opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry announced an extremist group designation for the International Committee for the Investigation of Torture in Belarus, torturesbelarus2020.org<\/em>, its social media and email address, identifying rights defenders Siarhiej U\u015bcina\u016d and Viktoryja Fiodarava as members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, the Leadership School and Girl Power Bel project received the same designation from the Committee for State Security (KGB). Authorities claimed that Hanna Dap\u0161avi\u010dute, Vieranika Mika\u0142aj\u010dyk, Viera Jesip\u010duk, An\u017ealika Vajcachovi\u010d and Alina \u0160a\u016dcova have links to the Leadership School, which brands itself as an independent education project for Belarusian female students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Catholic priest Andrzej Juchnievi\u010d, who has been held in custody since May, may be charged with sexual crimes against minors, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija reported, citing other similar cases of threats against priests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities convicted at least 66 people, who returned to Belarus from abroad, on charges widely seen as politically motivated, Viasna said, noting that 36 of them are serving prison terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of October 8, human rights defenders identified at least 1,281 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

\n\n
\n \"\"