{"id":98331,"date":"2024-07-31T12:06:43","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T09:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/98331\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-keep-targeting-dissenters-exiles-their-online-activities","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/98331\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals keep targeting dissenters, exiles, their online activities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 31, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on July 30 as authorities kept punishing people, who support their opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 30 employees of the Mahilo\u016d branch of Bie\u0142aru\u015bnafta company may be fired for putting their signatures in support of opposition presidential candidates in 2020, MAYDAY.TEAM reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A local state-run television station reported that five employees of a hospital in Sianno, Viciebsk region, were persecuted for following opposition content, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. It is unclear whether they face any charges. The report said that chief physician Kry\u015bcina Har\u010dynskaja vouched for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Pro-government Telegram channels reported the arrests of a Minsk man and a former railroad worker for participating in 2020 postelection protests. The latter was also also accused of sharing data with an opposition online project disclosing the identities of officials responsible for human rights abuses in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police claimed to have arrested an administrator of the Belarusian community chat in the United States, known as Olga Vredinka on social media. The woman reportedly resides in New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Maryjan Ho\u0142ub was tried in Homiel on Monday for sharing opposition content, Viasna reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u015aviat\u0142ana Iljina, presumably a pediatrician based in Viciebsk, went on trial the next day on similar charges, while Dzianis \u010carnu\u0161evi\u010d was tried in Viciebsk for violating the order of holding mass events, the electronic court schedule said. The sentences are unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Two days ago, the Hrodna Regional Court opened the trial in absentia of exiled journalist and local history enthusiast U\u0142adzimir Chilmanovi\u010d, accused of association with an extremist group and facilitating extremism, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017amitryj Vasukovi\u010d went on trial in H\u0142ybokaje, Viciebsk region, on July 30 on charges of insulting the head of state in connection with critical social media posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial of exiled activist Kaciaryna Tumanava opened in Hrodna, the electronic court schedule said. The woman is accused of threatening violence against police officers and violent disorder, charges often linked to politically-motivated persecution in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka pardoned German national Rico Krieger who was sentenced to death on June 24 on extremism- and terrorism-related charges, Pozirk<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian human rights groups added 12 more people to the political prisoners’ list, according to Viasna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of July 31, <\/a>human rights defenders identified at least 1,388 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 \"\"
\n

German MP on Krieger pardon: remember hundreds of innocent prisoners<\/h3>\n
July 30, Pozirk. German MP Thomas Hacker, FDP, has taken to Twitter to express his joy at the pardon of Rico Krieger. He urged the international community not to forget that more than 1,400 people are unjustly held behind bars …<\/div>\n \n