{"id":183536,"date":"2026-04-14T10:14:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T07:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/183536\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T14:10:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T11:10:51","slug":"reprisals-two-women-convicted-of-extremism-2","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/183536\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: two women convicted of extremism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 14, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>New cases of politically-motivated persecution documented in Belarus from April 11 to 13 included two sentences on extremism-related charges that authorities use to harass regime critics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaciaryna Duba\u016dcova was given two and a half years of restricted freedom in home confinement, while \u015aviat\u0142ana Anhielejka, 61, was also found guilty of calling for sanctions, inciting hatred and insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka in addition to extremism, The Viasna Human Rights Center and Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a separate development, Belarusian police arrested photographer Alaksandar \u0160y\u0161ko at Minsk airport upon his return from Georgia, where he moved in 2022, Pozirk <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights defenders confirmed 184 arrests over links to Bie\u0142aruski Hajun, a now-defunct online initiative that monitored Russian military activities in Belarus from 2022 to 2025, Viasna said. The total number of detainees may be significantly higher as arrests and trials are still taking place across Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremist designations<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Committee for State Security (KGB) branded Heta Baza, a Belarusian youth initiative involved in education projects, as an extremist group, according to the official register by the interior ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information ministry announced extremist content designations for releasenow_by <\/em>and kalinoucy_offlcal<\/em> on Instagram, belkrainec<\/em> on Threads, Belsat in English<\/em> on X and Facebook as well as the Facebook page by the Belarusian community in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Pavie\u0142 Bie\u0142avus, an opposition activist serving a 13-year prison sentence, may face new criminal charges as he was transferred to Prison No. 4 in Mahilo\u016d in February, Viasna reported. Bie\u0142avus is known as the founder of the Symbal.by souvenir store and participant of the Hodna campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcers threaten regime critics sentenced to restricted freedom terms with deportation, forcing them to sign a document stating that they may be expelled in the case of a repeated violation, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017amitryj Ko\u0142as, translator and publisher arrested in a recent crackdown on Belarusian publishers, remains behind bars, Na\u0161a Niva <\/em>reported.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A former inmate told rights defenders that medical help in Penal Colony No 3, Viciebsk district, is limited to painkillers. Inmates with colds are reportedly forced to work in unheated workshops in winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 14, human rights defenders identified at least 910 political prisoners, but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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