{"id":89159,"date":"2024-06-06T11:27:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T08:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/89159\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-target-entertainers-regime-critics-online-activities","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/89159\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals target entertainers, regime critics’ online activities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

June 6, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The crackdown against entertainers continued on June 5 as police arrested Aleh Astralenka, a manager at a Minsk event management agency. A pro-government source said he is accused of participating in 2020 postelection protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government sources also reported two arrests over online comments. One of the arrested, a man in Mahilo\u016d, allegedly called for designating Belarusian law enforcement agencies as terrorist groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A judge in Homiel sentenced Anatol Kirej\u010dyk, 74, to three and a half years in prison and a fine of 4,000 rubels (about $1,260) in a closed-door trial, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charges against him included illegal handling of firearms and insulting officials and judges in connection with critical social media posts. Investigators said he posted 1,500 comments in an opposition Telegram channel in 2020-2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dzianis \u017dalezka went on trial in Homiel to answer 10 criminal charges, ranging from discrediting the state and participating in protests to facilitating extremism for alleged association with opposition groups, the electronic court schedule says. The judge ruled to close the trial to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Extremist” list update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded defendersbelarus.org<\/em> and several opposition social media pages as extremist content, including Bie\u0142aru\u015b 2.0 Robim Razam <\/em>on Telegram, Instagram accounts of politzonabelarus<\/em> and the Barys Zvozska\u016d Human Rights House; Bie\u0142aruskaja Nacyjanalnaja Pamia\u0107<\/em> on Facebook; sens.live<\/em>, Pra Kastu\u015b<\/em>, Black Swan<\/em> and Viektar na Bie\u0142aru\u015b. Naviny<\/em> on TikTok, the information ministry’s website says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interior ministry said it designated the Women of Hard Virtue<\/em> YouTube project team and its followers as an extremist group, listing journalists Anastasija Karasiova and Maryna Mientusava as well as former TV presenter Kaciaryna Rajeckaja as members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Authorities seized a house from Hrodna activist Siarhiej Vieramiejenka, exiled co-owner of the patriotic merchandise shop Admietna\u015b\u0107 who is prosecuted under special proceedings that target hose living abroad and evading contact with investigators. His wife Volha is also a defendant in the same case. Earlier, the shop was declared an extremist group in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In mid-April, authorities released Illa Bochan, 21, after he had served three and a half years in prison for participating in 2020 protest rallies in Pinsk, Brest region, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of June 6, human rights defenders identified at least 1,391 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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