{"id":84793,"date":"2024-05-11T16:22:41","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T13:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84793\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"update-on-arrests-trials-politically-motivated-persecution-171","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/84793\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on arrests, trials, politically-motivated persecution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 11, Pozirk.<\/strong> Authorities keep punishing Belarusians for participating in 2020 postelection protests and social media posts, as cases of politically-motivated persecution documented on May 9 and 10 demonstrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trials on protest-related charges took place in Brest with Mikita Vajciuk, Vasil Aleksiajuk, Hleb Klimovi\u010d, Vital Varfalameje\u016d, Alaksandar Tysievi\u010d, Julija \u0160aronava, U\u0142adzimir Mikiciuk and Maksim Sobale\u016d accused of participating in 2020 protests, the Viasna Human Rights Center\u2019s Brest branch said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neurologist Rus\u0142an Badam\u0161yn was given three years of restricted freedom in home confinement in a similar case four days ago; Julija Karalova, two years at a trial held in late March, when the woman was reportedly pregnant, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aksana Stanie\u016dskaja and Arciom Stanie\u016dski went on trial in Hrodna on protest-related charges, while Viktar Ja\u016dsiej from the Hrodna region was tried for allegedly defaming Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, the Sudy, Zaderzhaniya. Grodno i Oblast <\/em>Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photographer Alaksandra Mielni\u010dak was tried in Homiel on charges of inciting hatred in connection with politically-sensitive social media posts and participating in protests, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> reported. The verdict remains unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two months ago, a judge in Mahilo\u016d sentenced Pavie\u0142 Makaranka to two years in prison for allegedly insulting \u0141uka\u0161enka online, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pro-government source also reported the arrest of a 20-year-old student from Minsk accused of participating in 2020 postelection protests and sharing opposition content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About a month ago, a man from Voranava, Hrodna region, was arrested at the border upon his return to Belarus and fined 1,200 rubels (about $370) for following the opposition Nexta<\/em> media project, the Brest branch of Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A woman was arrested in Brest in similar circumstances and held at a detention center for three days, Viasna said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Arrests of Catholic priests Andrej Juchnievi\u010d and Pavie\u0142 Lemiech on May 9 may be linked to accusations of subversive activity against the Belarusian state, Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk police arrested translator Volha Ka\u0142ackaja, who had earlier served two years of restricted freedom in home confinement for slapping propaganda officer Ryhor Azaronak at a protest rally, Radyjo Svaboda<\/em> reported. Authorities did not disclose the reasons for her new arrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExtremist\u201d list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry designated 17 men and five women as \u201cpersons involved in extremist activities,\u201d its website said. Authorities also branded four coalitions running for the opposition Coordination Council as extremist groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other cases<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017amitryj Barej\u010duk, exiled activist of Viktar Babaryka’s presidential campaign in 2020, died in Poland on May 8 after a serious illness, BySol founder Andrej Stry\u017eak said on Telegram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journalist Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachva\u0142ava) serving a lengthy prison term in a politically-motivated case fell ill with pneumonia in late April, her husband Ihar Ilja\u0161 said on Facebook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of May 11, human rights defenders identified at least 1,374 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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