Rights groups recognized 39 political prisoners in February
March 4, Pozirk. The human rights community in February recognized 39 people as political prisoners and demanded the rehabilitation of 16 repression victims whose imprisonment was reported after their release, the Viasna center’s report on the human rights situation in Belarus.
Since May 2020, rights activists have recognized at least 3,776 people as political prisoners, 2,542 of whom, including 541 women, are already at large.
Last month, the activists calculated that 89 people (65 men and 24 women) were convicted in January. According to the report, one of them was sentenced in absentia.
In February 2025, Viasna documented at least 656 cases of politically motivated repression, including detentions and searches. Judges sentenced at least 352 people under the Code of Administrative Offences.
That month, courts considered criminal cases against at least 304 defendants. The activists note that the authorities “carefully conceal statistics on the scale of politically motivated criminal and administrative prosecution.”
The number of politically motivated in absentia trials is on the rise.
As of February 24, justices convicted at least 41 people of donating to Belarusian volunteers fighting in Ukraine against Russian aggressors, at least 30 of planning to fight for Ukraine and at least 93 of sharing pictures and videos of Russian military hardware with the media.
Also in February, authorities added 90 people to the extremist list.
Courts issued 141 decisions recognizing information products as “extremist content.”
Nine declared political prisoners after facing disorder charges
March 3, Pozirk. Belarusian human rights activists have declared nine people as political prisoners, bringing the total to 1,239, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported. It named the prisoners as Alesia Halicyna, Andrej Nieściarovič, Iryna Paźniakievič, Ivan Palevikoŭ, Palina Zyl, …