Trials, wanted lists, special proceedings. How are human rights defenders persecuted in Belarus?
Repression and violations of all human rights do not stop in Belarus. Those who protect people and human rights values are also persecuted. Five Viasna human rights defenders remain behind bars, and other forms of pressure on the human rights sector do not stop: the websites of organizations are recognized as "extremist", and human rights defenders who continue to work abroad are also harassed.
We report on the persecution of human rights defenders.
The verdict of Viasna activists
In March 2023, three Viasna human rights defenders received their sentences. For their human rights activities, Ales Bialiatski, founder of the Viasna Human Rights Center and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was sentenced to 10 years in a penal colony, Deputy Chairman of Viasna and Vice President of FIDH Valiantsin Stefanovich, to 9 years in a penal colony, coordinator of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" and lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich, to 7 years in a penal colony, Viasna human rights activist Dzmitry Salauyou, to 8 years in a penal colony in absentia. All except Ales Bialiatski were also fined 111,000 Belarusian rubles (almost 32,200 euros). The Viasna chairman was fined 185,000 rubles, as requested by the prosecutor (more than 53,000 euros).
The court also ordered to collect from the defendants 752,438 rubles 62 kopecks (almost $297,650), which they had allegedly “obtained by criminal means” through “smuggling by an organized criminal group”. It was this amount that appeared in the charges under Part 4 of Article 228 of the Criminal Code. During the pronouncement of the verdict, the human rights defenders stayed handcuffed with their arms twisted behind their backs.
Ales Bialiatski said about the charges under Part 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code:
“It is immoral and inhumane to criminalize aid to political repression victims, which suddenly occurred after May 2020. Part 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code has not changed, it has been like that for many years. Humanitarian aid to affected people has suddenly been interpreted under this article since May 2020. So this criminalization is arbitrary.
It is in the tradition of the Belarusian people to help people in need. But if this is how the Criminal Code is interpreted and applied against such charity support to one another, it is anti-human. Before May 2020, for some reason such aid was possible, but after May it was prohibited.”
Persecution of volunteering
A year earlier, in September 2022, the verdict was announced to the coordinator of the Viasna volunteer service Marfa Rabkova and volunteer Andrei Chapiuk. At that time, the 27-year-old Marfa was sentenced to 15 years in a general security penal colony and a fine of 22,400 Belarusian rubles or more than $ 8,800. 26-year-old Andrei Chapiuk was sentenced to six years in a medium security penal colony and a fine of 16,000 Belarusian rubles or more than $ 6,300.
Marfa Rabkova's last word in court: “Every time we respond to someone else’s pain we bring our Belarus closer”
We publish the text of the last word that Marfa Rabkova prepared for her speech in court.
The closed-door trial lasted four and a half months. 158 criminal case files were heard in 70 sessions. Ten political prisoners were convicted simultaneously.
While in the pre-trial detention centre, Rabkova contracted COVID several times, which, among other things, affected the inflammatory processes in her body.
Four years after Marfa Rabkova’s arbitrary detention, repression against Viasna members must end
The case of Homieĺ Viasna
A year earlier, in the spring of 2021, Homieĺ Viasna human rights defenders received their sentences. Judge Siarhei Salouski found Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasitsa guilty of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order (Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code), and educating and preparing persons to participate in such actions, as well as their financing or other material support (Part 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code) and sentenced Leanid Sudalenka to three years of imprisonment with serving a sentence in a general security penal colony, and Tatsiana Lasitsa, to two and a half years of imprisonment with serving a sentence in a general security penal colony. The Viasna activists have already served their sentences and are free.
Viasna activists Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasitsa sentenced to 3 and 2 ½ years in prison
For volunteer Maryia Tarasenka, who was tried in the same criminal case and was on her own recognizance, the state prosecution requested two and a half years in a penal colony. After that, Maryia was forced to leave Belarus.
The persecution of Nasta Loika
Human rights defender Nasta Loika was detained on October 28, 2022. Before that, she had already served 30 days of administrative imprisonment. After her arrest, a "confession video" appeared, where Nasta "admits" that she had received funding from foreign organizations. She served 15 days four times in a row, after which she was arrested in a criminal case. Human rights activist has been sentenced to seven years in a penal colony under Part 3 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement to other social hatred) for preparing the report Persecution of anarchists, anti-fascists, leftists, and social activists in Belarus (2017–August 2018). It allegedly provides a critical assessment of the activities of police officers. The trial was held behind closed doors, so the details and position of Nasta are unknown.
Human rights activist Nasta Loika sentenced to 7 years in prison
On June 20, the Minsk City Court passed a verdict in the case of human rights activist Nasta Loika.
In the spring of 2024, it became known from a source of Radio Svaboda that Nasta was not happy with her state of health, but "she is not used to complaining." She continues to read a lot of fiction and historical literature.
Crackdown on the Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities
In early 2021, after searches, representatives of the educational human rights institution Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities, its head Siarhei Drazdouski, were detained, together with lawyer Aleh Hrableuski. On charges of fraud (Article 209 of the Criminal Code), human rights defender Siarhei, who has a disability and moves in a wheelchair, was placed under house arrest without the right to communicate, and Aleh was placed in pre-trial detention center No. 1 on Valadarskaha.
On July 31, 2021, Siarhei Drazdouski was released from house arrest. He is currently in Germany. Aleh Hrableuski was also released on the same day. Now the Office continues to operate from abroad.
Labeled "extremist" for human rights work
There are currently 4,733 people on the "list of Belarusian citizens, foreign citizens, or stateless persons involved in extremist activities." Many human rights defenders are also among them.
Viasna has been recognized as an "extremist formation": how to cooperate with us now?
Let's discuss current issues of cooperation with the human rights center.
In addition, there are currently 250 extremist groups in Belarus. Among them are human rights organizations. The International Committee for the Investigation of Torture and the Viasna Human Rights Center, including its regional branches, are recognized as extremist groups. Accordingly, the social media of organizations are also recognized as "extremist". Criminal liability is stipulated for the communication or interaction with the information by "extremist" organizations in Belarus.
Wanted list
The main forms of persecution of human rights defenders abroad have become trials in international special proceedings and the search for human rights defenders. In six months, 773 Belarusian citizens appeared on the Russian wanted list. It includes more than 3,500 people in total. This list includes human rights defenders Natallia Satsunkevich, Leanid Sudalenka, Ihar Kazmerchak, Maryia Tarasenka, Uladzimir Khilmanovich, Zmitser Salauyou, Alena Masliukova, Iryna Tratsiakova, Pavel Levinau, Siarzhuk Sys.
Natallia Satsunkevich, a Viasna human rights activist, reacted to this news in this way:
"I perceive criminal charges as a natural consequences of public human rights activities in Belarus now. I remind myself that my colleagues and friends are behind bars, and I am only wanted.
I have free advice for Russian law enforcement agencies: put the real criminals on the wanted list. Those who tortured people in Belarus in August 2020 and go on doing so. And those who commit war crimes in the war in Ukraine."
Russia puts Belarusian human rights defenders on wanted list
Who are these activists and how did they react to this news?
"This is another insanity, which is demonstrated not only by the Belarusian authorities, but also by the Russian ones. This is a combination of two dictatorships that have joined together in the persecution of active people. People who are against these dictatorships and against the war. And therefore it is convenient for them to persecute honest people together," said Maryia Tarasenka, a human rights activist and volunteer.
Human rights defender Siarzhuk Sys comments on the Russian wanted list: "It is better not to visit some CIS countries now"
Trials and criminal cases in absentia
Criminal cases have been initiated against human rights defenders in Belarus within the framework of special proceedings. Some of them have already been tried. As part of the Vasna case, human rights defender Zmitser Salauyou was sentenced in absentia to eight years in a penal colony.
On October 15, 2024, the Homieĺ Regional Court announced in absentia the sentence of Viasna human rights defender Alena Masliukova — three years in a general security penal colony. She is charged under Part 1 and Part 2 of Articles 361-4 of the Criminal Code (assistance to extremist activities), but the essence of the charge is unknown even to the human rights defender. The case was handled by Siarhei Bahinski. The trial has been going on behind closed doors since September 30.
A criminal case has been initiated against journalist and human rights defender Uladzimir Khilmanovich for "promoting extremist activities." He is charged under Part 1 and Part 2 of Articles 361-4 of the Criminal Code (assistance to extremist activities). Uladzimir has not lived in Belarus for two and a half years.
On December 1, Uladzimir's wife's apartment, where he lived from 2014 to 2021, was searched. As a result, his computer processor, an old ID card, 25 books, a music disc, postage stamps, various envelopes, postcards, booklets, badges, and numerous newspapers were confiscated.
