News on the topic: criminal prosecution
19.02.2021 More protesters convicted in political trials
Courts in Minsk sentenced today political prisoners Ivan Krasouski, Volha Paulava and Liavon Khalatran to terms of restricted freedom (so-called “khimiya”), finding them guilty of “breaching public order” during the unprecedented wave of protests triggered by the fraudulent presidential election of August 2020.
19.02.2021 Political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny walks free after 6 ½ years in prison
Mikhail Zhamchuzhny, a 65-year-old political prisoner and human rights activist, was released this morning from penal colony No. 9 in the city of Horki, Mahilioŭ region, RFE/RL’s Belarus service said.
18.02.2021 Belsat TV journalists sentenced to 2 years in prison
Katsiaryna Bakhvalava (Andreyeva) and Darya Chultsova, journalists working with the Belsat TV channel, were sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment in a general-security penitentiary each, after Judhe Natallia Buhuk of the Frunzienski District Court of Minsk found them today guilty of involvement in “group actions gravely breaching public order” (Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code).
17.02.2021 Political prisoner Ihar Prazhennikau sentenced to 1.5 years in prison
Judge Yuliya Chyzh of the Frunzienski District Court of Minsk has sentenced political prisoner Ihar Prazhennikau to one and a half years in a general-security penal colony under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code.
16.02.2021 Political prisoner Andrei Papou sentenced to five years in prison
Judge Anzhela Kastsiukevich of the Zavodski District Court of Minsk has sentenced political prisoner Andrei Papou to five years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty under Part 2 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code (rioting).
16.02.2021 BAJ, Viasna under attack
At least 25 human rights defenders, mostly working with the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, have been either detained or targeted in police raids this morning. Several offices were searched, both in Minsk and across Belarus, including Viasna’s office in Minsk.
15.02.2021 10 more arrested protesters declared political prisoners
Joint statement by the human rights organizations of Belarus
15.02.2021 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns new charges against Viasna coordinator Marfa Rabkova
The Observatory has been informed about the new criminal charges against Maria (a.k.a Marfa) Rabkova, Coordinator of volunteer services at the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.
12.02.2021 Hands off Marfa, hands off Viasna, hands off human rights defenders!
Statement by the Board of the Human Rights Center "Viasna"
12.02.2021 Viasna’s Marfa Rabkova faces new charges
On February 11, Marfa Rabkova, coordinator of Viasna’s volunteer network, faced new criminal charges of “inciting social hostility to the government by a group of unidentified individuals” (Part 3 of Art. 130) and “involvement in a criminal organization” (Part 2 of Art. 285 of the Criminal Code).
10.02.2021 Political prisoner Raman Kananovich sentenced to 4 years in prison
Judge Tatsiana Shotsik of the Lieninski District Court of Minsk has sentenced political prisoner Raman Kananovich to four years in a medium-security penal colony, finding the 24-year-old programmer guilty under part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code.
10.02.2021 Seven convicts in defamation and flag desecration trials called political prisoners
Joint statement by the Belarusian human rights community
09.02.2021 Human rights defenders insist on retrials for 11 more political prisoners
Joint statement of the Belarusian human rights community
09.02.2021 Political prisoner Artsiom Sauchuk sentenced to 4 years in prison
Judge Yuliya Blizniuk of the Frunzienski District Court of Minsk has sentenced political prisoner Artsiom Sauchuk to 4 years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty under Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code.
09.02.2021 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasitsa
The Observatory urges the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Leanid Sudalenka, Tatsiana Lasitsa, Maria Rabkova and all other human rights defenders arbitrarily detained, and to end all acts of harassment against them.
