{"id":80318,"date":"2024-04-17T11:24:38","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T08:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80318\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-164","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80318\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 17, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New cases of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on April 16 as authorities continued harassing Belarusians for displaying dissent and allegedly insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Police arrested Siarhiej \u0141ysiuk from Brest for participating in 2020 postelection protests, Mediazona.Belarus<\/em> reported. He had earlier served 10 days in jail for sharing opposition content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Mika\u0142aj Ka\u0161kur, a loader driver at the peat briquette plant in Bras\u0142a\u016d, Viciebsk region, was fined 4,000 rubels (about $1,220) for sharing a video with white-red-white symbols on his Odnoklassniki page, the Vitebsk, ya gulayu. Novosti Vitebska<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On March 21, a judge in Hrodna sentenced U\u0142adzimir Mikuli\u010d to two years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility and confiscated his smartphone for sharing videos on Odnoklassniki that allegedly insulted \u0141uka\u0161enka, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arciom Nasanovi\u010d from \u017d\u0142obin, Homiel region, was given two years in prison for participating in 2020 protests, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 26, a judge in Biaroza, Brest region, sentenced mechanic Siarhiej Buvaka, 58, to three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for allegedly insulting \u0141uka\u0161enka in a comment on the Telegram messaging app, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juryj Va\u016d\u010dkievi\u010d was given one year in prison in Hrodna on similar charges, Viasna said. The man reportedly used foul language against \u0141uka\u0161enka in the presence of four policemen, who came to arrest him. He was also ordered to undergo compulsory alcoholism treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ja\u016dhien, Alaksandra and Alaksandar Jurevi\u010d as well as An\u017ealika \u0141ahunova and Dzianis \u0141ahuno\u016d went on trial in Minsk on protest-related charges, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 8, the Committee for State Security (KGB) branded the Medical Solidarity Foundation an extremist group, the interior ministry said. It identified exiled foundation coordinator Lidzija Tarasienka, co-founder Andrej Tka\u010do\u016d, Stanis\u0142a\u016d Sa\u0142aviej of the opposition transition cabinet and the Belye Chalaty media project as a part of the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities also blacklisted the Volontery Gomel <\/em>Telegram channel with 91 followers as an extremist group. The channel may be linked to Alena Tockaja, jailed on extremism-related charges and considered a political prisoner by human rights groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal by photojournalist Alaksandar Zianko\u016d against his three-year sentence given on extremism-related charges, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prison authorities denied permission for imprisoned opposition activist Palina \u0160arenda-Panasiuk\u2019s meeting with her lawyer on April 15, her husband said on Facebook. In June 2021, the woman was given two years in prison for alleged violence against a police officer and insulting officials. She subsequently received additional sentences for allegedly disobeying the prison administration. A few weeks ago, \u0160arenda-Panasiuk reportedly appealed to \u0141uka\u0161enka for pardon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry’s officers were looking for exiled human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka at his apartment in Belarus at about 1 am on April 16, he said on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 17, human rights defenders identified at least 1,381 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

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