{"id":73218,"date":"2024-03-15T11:59:35","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T08:59:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/73218\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-143","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/73218\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 15, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on March 14 with harassment of dissenters and exiled activists continuing unabated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrests<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A media outlet linked to the police released a video of a Mahilo\u016d man arrested for allegedly participating in protests and posting comments on the Telegram messaging app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry’s organized crime unit arrested Vital Mura\u0161ka in Minsk on similar charges, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported. He had pictures and videos from 2020 postelection protests on his smartphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trials<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u017dana Ci\u0161urava, Paul Gierdroj\u0107, U\u0142adzimir Arcyman, U\u0142adzimir Ivano\u016dski and Vadzim Patap\u010dyk were tried in the Hrodna region for sharing opposition content, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast<\/em> Telegram channel said. The verdicts are unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 13, former political prisoner Dzianis Samko\u016d from Vietka, Homiel region, was tried for allegedly disobeying orders of an official, the Homiel branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center said. The ruling is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge in Minsk sentenced catechist U\u0142adzis\u0142a\u016d Bie\u0142adzied to three years in prison on charges of inciting hatred, manufacturing and sharing pornographic content, insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and officials, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 5, a judge in Homiel sentenced Bia\u0142aru\u015bbank employee A\u0142a Vialikaja to three years of restricted freedom in home confinement for allegedly slandering \u0141uka\u0161enka, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian authorities filed criminal charges against exiled opposition activists Siarhiej Vieramiejanka and Ludmi\u0142a Barejka as well as journalists U\u0142adzimir Chilmanovi\u010d and Ihar Ka\u017amier\u010dak, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry updated its register of content it deems “extremist,” blacklisting Telegram channels, chats and bots of the BySol solidarity foundation, Belaruskij OSINT Phoenix and Belarussische Diaspora in \u04e6sterreich; the Menavita Online YouTube channel; pangenatawr and weeklytopfake on Instagram; Iron Man, nastup, BYSOL, Arseniy on TikTok and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry also blacklisted the Prazrysty Mahilo\u016d<\/em> community as an extremist group, its website said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other instances of persecution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 13, the administration of Homiel region’s Penal Colony No 24 refused to admit a lawyer to Palina \u0160arenda-Panasiuk, the Brest branch of Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of March 15, human rights defenders identified at least 1,412 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"