{"id":191721,"date":"2026-06-13T13:45:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T10:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/191721\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T13:45:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T10:45:48","slug":"reprisals-jailed-media-managers-among-dozens-branded-extremists","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/191721\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: jailed media managers among dozens branded \u201cextremists\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

June 13, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on June 12 as the interior ministry branded 40 people as \u201cextremists,\u201d taking the total of entries on the official register to 6,703.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twenty of them are serving sentences, including media manager U\u0142adzimir Janukievi\u010d and his associate Andrej Pakalenka, who were convicted of high treason earlier this year. Rights groups consider their persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others are Andrej Jara\u0161evi\u010d, ex-head of Terra Group event organizer; Alaksandar Kundro persecuted over donations; political activist Viktar Ja\u016dmiejenka; exiled former Kalino\u016dski Regiment volunteer Maksim \u0160abucki and Ukrainian national Aleksandr Kovalenko.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arciom Sabale\u016dski, Ja\u016dhien Fiadosienka, Viktar \u0141ap\u0161uno\u016d, Pavie\u0142 Davidovi\u010d, Alaksandar Kraviec, Arystarch Kruko\u016dski, Mika\u0142aj Tarasienka, Ja\u016dhien Novika\u016d, Pavie\u0142 Ba\u017eko, Alaksandar Barana\u016d, Alaksandar Katlanik, Andrej Maciuk and Zachar Papu\u0161oj are serving sentences on charges ranging from inciting hatred and insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka to setting up extremist groups and facilitating extremist activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sentences of the other 20 recently blacklisted persons remain incomplete, which means that they may be serving non-custodial terms. Sixteen of them were convicted on charges of facilitating extremism: Raman Karpovi\u010d, Anastasija Charaviec, Dziamjan Ha\u016drylica, Ihar Mi\u0161ko\u016d, Jana Hurynovi\u010d, Valeryj Judana\u016d, \u0141ukieryja Mironcava, Vieranika \u0160ynkarevi\u010d, D\u017amitryj Are\u0161kin, Mika\u0142aj Haje\u016dski, Vadzim \u0160aplyka, D\u017amitryj \u010cevy\u010de\u0142a\u016d, \u015aviat\u0142ana Ba\u017eankova, \u015aviat\u0142ana Karalova, Alaksandar Iljin and Vasil A\u016dsiannika\u016d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases of politically-motivated reprisals documented in Belarus yesterday included a fine to Natalla Bandaruk, a Christian Baptist arrested on June 9 in Brest for preaching in public on Easter Sunday, a Telegram channel linked to the Baptist community reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bandaruk\u2019s brother, former designated political prisoner Dani\u0142 Bandaruk, had served five years in prison for participating in 2020 postelection protests. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities sold a Minsk apartment belonging to exiled Pavie\u0142 Danejka of the BEROC think tank at an auction that attracted just one bidder, e-auction-by<\/em> said. Last year, a Belarusian judge sentenced Danejka to 12 years in prison without him being present at the trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designated political prisoners Alena Rybak, U\u0142adzis\u0142a\u016d Fiedarovi\u010d, Vadzim Saskaviec and Alaksandar Pima\u0161enka were released after serving their sentences in full, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of June 13, human rights defenders identified at least 860 political prisoners, but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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