{"id":84237,"date":"2024-05-08T11:31:10","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T08:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84237\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-dissenters-and-their-social-media-activities-in-focus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84237\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals: dissenters and their social media activities in focus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 8, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> On May 7, authorities continued persecuting Belarusians in connection with critical social media posts as police arrested a truck driver in Minsk for allegedly posting about 1,200 comments about law enforcers and Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources also reported the arrest of a dentist’s assistant in Zas\u0142a\u016dl, Minsk region, over comments she posted on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kazimir Ma\u0142y\u0161ka, Barys Kruto\u016d, Juryj Nikan, Ihar \u0160achno and Kaciaryna Alaksiej\u010dyk were tried in the Hrodna region for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Hrodna jailed Jahor H\u0142yta\u016d for 10 days for following a media outlet that authorities deem extremist, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 41-year-old Minsk man faces criminal charges for posting online a video, in which he accused a policeman of jaywalking, a pro-government source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

On April 18, a judge in Hrodna sentenced engineer Andrej Tom\u010dyk to two years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for defaming the head of state in connection with social media posts critical of \u0141uka\u0161enka, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanstancin Kalaha, Eryk Ka\u0142aso\u016dski, Ivan Packo, Alaksandar \u0141a\u016dru\u0161\u010dyk, Ivan Dryk, Pavie\u0142 Sierhijenia, D\u017amitryj Filipovi\u010d and Arciom \u0141api\u010d went on trial in Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region, for participating in 2020 postelection protests, the electronic court schedule says. Dryk was a minor at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalla Kruk is on trial in Minsk on similar charges, Viasna said. Police arrested her in July 2023 upon her return from Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Raman Pratasievi\u010d, a former member of the Nexta<\/em> media team, said on YouTube that authorities want to him to pay heavy damages in connection with the 2020 protests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Minsk judge reportedly evaluated the damage at 23.8 million rubels ($7.4 million) which Pratasievi\u010d was ordered to pay together with his former exiled colleagues Jan Rudzik and \u015aciapan Puci\u0142a. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bulk of the sum should also be divided between blogger Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski, his associates Arciom Saka\u016d and Dmitri Popov, politician Mika\u0142aj Statkievi\u010d and blogger Ihar \u0141osik. All of them are serving lengthy prison terms and have been designated political prisoners by human rights groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government has shut down at least 1,622 non-profits in Belarus in almost four years between the 2020 presidential election and late April, Lawtrend reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On May 1, authorities released Valancin Muzykin after he had served two years in prison for allegedly insulting officials and inciting hatred in connection with politically-sensitive social media posts, Viasna reported. Authorities blacklisted him as an extremist and terrorist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of May 8, human rights defenders identified at least 1,377 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 \"\" <\/div>\n
\n

Viasna: scale of repression against government opponents critical<\/h3>\n
May 7, Pozirk. Human rights in Belarus continue to be widely and systematically violated, the Viasna Human Rights Center said. Repression of the regime's political opponents and dissidents remains critically high, according to its report covering April 2024. At the …<\/div>\n \n