News on the topic: criminal prosecution
17.12.2020 Immediately release political prisoners Tsikhan Kliukach and Safiya Malashevich
Statement by the human rights organizations of Belarus
17.12.2020 100 godparents for political prisoners in Belarus
Cem Özdemir, Member of the Bundestag and former long-time leader of Alliance 90/The Greens, is the 100th MP who takes over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus, symbolically adopting journalist Katsiaryna Barysevich.
17.12.2020 Amnesty International: Witness in police killing of protester faces life sentence
Belarusian authorities are attempting to cover up the killing of a peaceful protester by police by bringing serious criminal charges against a key witness, Amnesty International said.
16.12.2020 One more defamation sentence: Man with cancer gets one year in prison for “insulting” Lukashenka
The Chojniki District Court sentenced today a disabled resident of Homieĺ to 12 months in a penal colony for “publicly insulting the president” at an election rally on July 28.
15.12.2020 Two more persons convicted for "insulting" police officers
Yury Karnilovich, a 31-year-old welder at the MAZ automotive manufacturer, was sentenced today to three years in an open-type penal colony (so called “khimiya”) for allegedly insulting former Interior Minister Yury Karayeu in a comment on YouTube. The sentence is the heaviest possible penalty provided by the charge.
15.12.2020 Political prisoner Ihar Losik goes on hunger strike to protest new charges
Political prisoner Ihar Losik has declared an indefinite hunger strike after he faced today new charges of “plotting riots” (Art 13, Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code) in addition to an earlier charge of “breaching public order” (Part 1 of Art. 342).
14.12.2020 More German MPs are godparents for Belarusian political prisoners
As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco, Sandra Bubendorfer-Licht (FDP), Oliver Luksic (FDP) and Marja-Liisa Völlers (SPD) have taken over a godparenthood for political prisoners Mikhail Kalishuk, Yahor Kanetski and Andrei Papou.
10.12.2020 New godparents for Belarusian political prisoners
Members of German Bundestag and the European Parliament take over godparenthood for Dzianis Boltuts, Anton Bialenski and Yauhen Afnahel
08.12.2020 “We Will Not Forget”: Prison sentences for writing on pavement
The Frunzienski District Court of Minsk sentenced today Maksim Pauliushchyk to two years in prison for spray-painting “We Will Not Forget” on the pavement near the Puškinskaja metro station as a sign of remembrance of protester Aliaksandr Taraikouski who died on the spot on August 10, reportedly from a rubber bullet fired by a law enforcement officer.
07.12.2020 Swiss national gets 2 ½ years in prison for tearing balaclava off riot policeman
Natallia Hersche, a Belarus-born 51-year-old Swiss national, has been sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for removing a balaclava from a riot police officer during a protest on September 19.
07.12.2020 Stop repression against Belarusian students!
Libereco and the Students Solidarity Alliance Belarus have launched an international petition to the Belarusian university directors due to the massive repression of students. The petition calls them to stand behind their students, to protect their rights and to end the removals from the register of students process.
05.12.2020 Political prisoner Yauhen Yushkevich released
Political prisoner Yauhen Yushkevich has been released, after spending 10 days in pre-trial detention. The charges of “breaching public order” he is facing, however, remain in place.
04.12.2020 15 new names on list of political prisoners
Joint statement by Belarusian human rights organizations
03.12.2020 Political prisoner Andrei Novikau released, deported to Russia
Political prisoner Andrei Novikau has been released and deported to Russia, whose passport he holds, RFE/RL’s Belarus service said.
02.12.2020 Members of German Bundestag take over godparenthood for Dzmitry Kanapelka, Yaraslau Zbarouski and Mark Salonnikau
As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco, Katrin Staffler (CSU), Sabine Poschmann (SPD) and Falko Mohrs (SPD) have taken over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus.
