More than half of those convicted in June in political criminal cases were punished for participating in 2020 protests

In June, the human rights defenders of Viasna noted that the trend of criminal prosecution for political reasons persisted. According to preliminary data, at least 146 people were convicted in June, of whom 98 were men and 48 were women. At the time of publication, human rights defenders know the details of the criminal cases of 20 people. Viasna traditionally reports the specifics of the criminal prosecution in the last month.

Illustrative photo from penal colony-22. Screenshot from a film from ONT channel

Minsk is a leader in political criminal prosecution

The prosecution in politically motivated criminal cases in different regions in June looked as follows:

• Minsk — 77 people;
• Brest region — 9 people;
• Hrodna region — 13 people;
• Homieĺ region — 13 people;
• Minsk region — 13 people;
• Mahilioŭ region — 14 people;
• Viciebsk region — 7 people.

Minsk has consistently remained the leader in criminal trials for political reasons. In June, compared with May, the number of convicts in Brest decreased almost four times. This is due to the fact that in the last month of spring there were mass trials in the Round Dance case and for participation in the August protests. At the same time, the indicators in the Mahilioŭ region increased by 12 people.

Prosecution in absentia for public social and political activities

In June, convictions were handed down in absentia against public figures. The Brest Regional Court convicted in absentia the participants of an "extremist formation" Rudabelskaya Pakazukha Andrei and Volha Pavuk, Marharyta Liauchuk, Illia Saliankou, Aliaksandr Chakhouski, and Uladzislau Navazhylau to punishment ranging from three months of arrest to 12 years of imprisonment.

A distinctive feature of June was the repeated prosecution of citizens who had faced real punishment previously, in absentia. In addition to Uladzislau Navazhylau, who was convicted as part of the Rudabelskaya Pakazukha team, human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, who actively works with the subject of Belarusian political prisoners and the penitentiary system on international platforms, was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and fined.

Franak Viachorka was sentenced in absentia to 20 years of imprisonment by the Minsk City Court under a huge number of articles of the Criminal Code stipulating responsibility for social and political activities in the public field.

Trials over families

Criminal prosecution for political reasons affects entire families and groups of relatives. In June, Darya and Yury Marozau, Volha and Yury Khavanski, Tatsiana and Illia Palonski, whose cases were heard in the courts of the Maskoŭski, Savetski, and Tsentralny districts of Minsk, respectively, were prosecuted under Article 342 of the Criminal Code.

In the court of the Leninski District of Mahilioŭ, a group case was considered under Article 342 of the Criminal Code, which ended for Sviatlana and Dzianis Kotau with a sentence of two and a half years of restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional facility and two years of restriction of freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility, respectively.

In June, the Homieĺ Regional Court handed down a verdict in a high-profile case of treason against an entire family: Vasil, Larysa, and Pavel Prokharau, who were sentenced to eleven (Vasil) and eight (Larysa and Pavel) years of imprisonment, respectively. In addition to the article on "treason to the state", the defendants were charged with crimes in the form of "incitement to hatred", "assistance to extremist activities", and "misprision".

62% of those convicted in June were punished for participating in protests

Criminal prosecution for political reasons is still mainly aimed at the participants of spontaneous gatherings in 2020. Of the 146 citizens who were persecuted, 90 (62%) were charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code.

Repeated prosecution of previously convicted persons under criminal articles

In June, Viasna human rights defenders recorded an increase in the number of cases of repeated and subsequent conviction of previously persecuted citizens. The Kastryčnicki District Court of Minsk heard a case against Radzivon Kastsinets under articles on "insulting Lukashenka" and "a representative of the authorities." In February of this year, Kastsinets was prosecuted under articles on "insulting Lukashenka, a representative of the government, a judge," as well as "slander against Lukashenka".

In the same court, the case against Yauhen Masarnouski was heard under the article on "insulting a representative of the authorities".

In the Peršamajski District Court of Minsk, a case was heard under Article 342 of the Criminal Code against Uladzimir Hibki, who had already been tried under this article in the Maskoŭski District Court of Minsk earlier in April this year. The court of the Tsentralny District of Minsk heard the case against Viktar Auramenka under the same article, who was already prosecuted in February last year under an article on insulting Lukashenka.

The Court of the Leninski District of Mahilioŭ heard a case against Pavel Belahalou on an article on the defamation of Lukashenka. Before that, in August 2022, the man was tried by the Drybinski District Court under articles on insulting a government representative and discrediting Belarus. The Minsk Regional Court heard a case of incitement to hatred, insulting Lukashenka and a representative of the government against Mikhail Tarasevich, who in November 2022 was tried by the court of the Tsentralny District of Minsk under five defamation articles.

The Dziarzhynsk District Court heard the case against Tatsiana Barodzich under Article 342 of the Criminal Code. In May last year, the woman was sentenced by the same court and under the same article to a non-custodial sentence. The Orša District Court sentenced Siarhei Hniauko to four and a half years of imprisonment under the article on insulting Lukashenka in conjunction with the previous sentence under a similar article handed down by the Kastryčnicki District Court of Minsk in May last year.

Within a month, the Viciebsk Regional Court heard a group case against the previously persecuted Aliaksandr Sharabaika and Dzianis Tsybulski under articles on the creation of an extremist formation (participation in it) and insulting Lukashenka and a government representative. Last September, Aliaksandr Sharabaika was convicted under the article on insulting Lukashenka by the Hlybokaje District Court, and Dzianis Tsybulski was convicted by the Zavadski District Court of Minsk under Article 342 in March last year.

In June, five political prisoners were convicted in a penal colony under Article 411 of the Criminal Code

In June, human rights defenders continued to record the widespread repressive application of Article 411 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates the possibility of adding a sentence for "malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of a correctional institution".

The Mazyr District Court handled the case under this article against Viachaslau Sidarakin, who was convicted two years ago under the article on "illegal actions with respect to firearms and their illegal movement across the state border." The court of the Vaŭkavysk District heard a case against anarchist Aliaksandr Frantskevich, who had previously been persecuted for a term of almost seventeen years of imprisonment for a number of crimes.

The court of the city of Žodzina considered the case against Yahor Ibrahimau, who is serving a sentence under articles on "participation in group actions grossly violating public order" (Article 342 of the Criminal Code) and "violence or threat of violence against an employee of internal affairs bodies" (Article 364 of the Criminal Code). The Barysaŭ District Court heard cases under Article 411 of the Criminal Code against Vasil Kavaliou and Siarhei Dziatsuk, who were previously convicted under articles on "insulting a representative of power" and "discrediting Belarus", as well as "violence or threat of its use against an employee of the internal affairs bodies".

Persecution of a journalist

Representatives of civil society who remained inside Belarus continue to be prosecuted for political reasons. Alena Tsimashchuk was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and a huge fine, accused of collaborating with independent publications. The reason for the persecution of the journalist were articles on "inciting other social hatred", "discrediting Belarus", and "creating an extremist formation (or participating in it)".

At least 145 people were tried in criminal political cases in May

Viasna traditionally reports the specifics of the criminal prosecution last month.