{"id":188705,"date":"2026-05-22T19:13:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/188705\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T20:09:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:09:06","slug":"may-21-police-raids-in-minsk-targeted-political-exiles-homes-viasna","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/188705\/","title":{"rendered":"May 21 police raids in Minsk targeted political exiles\u2019 homes \u2013 Viasna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Investigative Committee's press office)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

May 22, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Belarusian law enforcers raided more than 10 locations in Minsk yesterday, the Viasna Human Rights Center reports, noting that some of the searches were linked to political exiles\u2019 participation in Freedom Day events in Vilnius and Warsaw in late March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The searches targeted the registered residence of Viasna\u2019s employee Anastasija Vasil\u010duk and the home of the parents of Warsaw-based activist Arciom Basa\u0142aj, where the Committee for State Security (KGB) officers took inventory of the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, Alaksandar Suchadolski of the Belarusian Investigative Committee threatened participants in the Freedom Day events abroad with trials and confiscation of their Belarus-based properties. The official claimed that such rallies aim to shape a negative narrative about Belarus and recruit exiled Belarusians into what Minsk perceives as illegal or extremist activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrated on March 25, Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the Belarusian independence proclamation. The current Belarusian government does not recognize Freedom Day as an official holiday. After the 2020 presidential election, any attempts to publicly celebrate anniversaries led to arrests, trials and jail terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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