{"id":99444,"date":"2024-08-07T12:07:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T09:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/99444\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"reprisals-continue-unabated-in-belarus-four-years-after-disputed-election","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/99444\/","title":{"rendered":"Reprisals continue unabated four years after disputed election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August 7, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> New instances of politically-motivated persecution were documented in Belarus on August 6, as authorities continued harassing participants in 2020 postelection protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrested and released<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police arrested Stefani Mielnikava and Siamion Dubovik after storming their apartment via the balcony, a pro-government source said. They are suspected of participating in protests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-government channels also reported the arrest of Vadzim Sianiuta on a similar charge, while Aleks Chach\u0142o\u016d was arrested upon his return to Belarus from Poland. The man is reportedly accused of administering two online Belarusian communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities released Dzianis Pi\u0161\u010da\u0142a after he had served two years in prison on protest-related charges, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online content<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vieranika \u0179mitrukievi\u010d, Illa Juzvuk, Karalina Pancevi\u010d, Ta\u0107ciana Haradniakova and Dzina A\u016dsijevi\u010d were tried in the Hrodna region for sharing opposition content, the Pravo Imeyut<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authorities branded the VKontakte page by Franak Via\u010dorka, an aide to Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja, as extremist content. Other blacklisted accounts include two Ukrainian Telegram channels, UNIAN<\/em> and Zhyvie <\/em>on YouTube and ******\u017dyvie Bie\u0142aru\u015b!******<\/em> on VKontakte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Designer Natalla Kremis went on trial in Viciebsk on charges of association with an extremist group, the Vitebsk, Ya Gulayu! <\/em>Telegram channel reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anton Vajciachovi\u010d is on trial in Minsk on protest-related charges, according to the electronic court schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brothers Maciej and Leanid Aviar\u010duk went on trial in Brest for participating in a 2020 protest rally, Viasna reported. Other defendants in the case are Aleh Litvin\u010duk and Ala\u016dcina Hudkova.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special proceedings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar Kirkievi\u010d, an exiled Belarusian freelance journalist, was given seven years in prison on extremism-related charges, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Businessman Ihar Parunkievi\u010d was sentenced to six years in prison without being present at the trial. Authorities accused him of inciting hatred, association with an extremist group, insulting Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and threatening violence against a police officer, Viasna said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A judge in Hrodna sentenced Kaciaryna Tumanava to two and a half years in prison on protest-related charges without her being present at the trial, Pravo Imeyut <\/em>said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investigators opened special proceedings against Alaksandar Karnieje\u016d for allegedly threatening violence against a police officer, the Investigative Committee said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Jailed anarchist activist Mika\u0142aj Dziadok has been held in a punishment cell over the past two months, Pozirk<\/em> reported. In late 2021, authorities sentenced him to five years in prison in a politically-motivated case. The activist has spent more than one year in solitary confinement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another jailed anarchist, Ihar Alinievi\u010d, was discharged from the hospital and is now held at Prison No 8 in \u017dodzina, Minsk region, Pozirk<\/em> reported. The reasons for his hospitalization in early July remain unclear. Alinievi\u010d was given a 20-year prison term in a terrorism-related case. Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jailed reporter Dzianis Iva\u0161yn, serving a lengthy prison term on high treason charges, may be held in a punishment cell, the Dzianis Ivashyn<\/em> Telegram channel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U\u0142adzimir Marta\u016d, an intensive care doctor who faced politically-motivated persecution in Belarus, managed to leave the country for Lithuania, Andrej Stry\u017eak of the BySol solidarity foundation said on Telegram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 1,742 NGOs, including associations, trade unions and foundations, were dissolved between the 2020 presidential election and the end of July 2024, Lawtrend said. New additions to this list are the Hrodna City Soccer Federation and a historical reenactment club, Viasna noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the summer 2020, rights groups declared 3,390 people political prisoners, including 615 women, Viasna reported, sounding alarm over critically high level of reprisals targeting regime critics and opposition activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of August 7, human rights defenders identified at least 1,397 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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