politically motivated criminal prosecution
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News
Sofia Sapega’s request for pardon denied
The political prisoner Sofia Sapega's request for a pardon passed the first stage of the pardon process but was rejected by the commission for pardons under Lukashenko. In May 2022,…
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News
Rail guerrilla shot in knees during arrest, sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment
Belarusian Vital Melnik, recognized as a political prisoner, was sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security penal colony and property confiscation. In addition, he has to pay a fine…
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News
Maria Kalesnikava has been in hospital for over one month
According to the information the Viasna Human Rights Center received from other prisoners, Maria is yet to be transferred from the hospital back to the Homel penal colony: "As of…
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News
Nobel Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski pleads not guilty at sham trial
The trial against Viasna human rights defenders, including the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, commenced on January 5 in Minsk. The defendants face 7 to 12 years of imprisonment.
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Articles
Family ties from behind bars: Imprisoned Belarusian families
As of December 28, 2022, there are more than 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus. The Viasna Human Rights Center continues telling the stories of people who ended up in prison…
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Articles
“Welcome to Gestapo”: How political prisoners were tortured in Belarus in 2022
The Viasna human rights defenders continue documenting all cases of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment with the belief that the perpetrators will eventually be brought to justice, and…
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News
Belarusian ex-investigator sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment
Yauhen Yushkevich, a former investigator and founder of the ByChange project aimed at retraining dismissed security forces officers and civil servants, was convicted on December 26.
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News
Brest resident convicted for wanting to become volunteer fighter in Ukraine
A state television channel aired a segment about the first Belarusian who had been convicted for wanting to join Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. Eight Belarusians have already been convicted…
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Articles
Natallia Hersche: “I want to come to New Belarus!”
Ten months after her release, the former political prisoner talked to Gazetaby.com about how she hadn't given in while in detention despite the terrible conditions, how she was undergoing rehabilitation,…
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Viasna
Ales Bialiatski’s Nobel speech: “Today the entirety of Belarus is in prison”
The human rights activist Ales Bialiatski was unable to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in person because he has been imprisoned by the Belarusian regime for 17 months. On December…