{"id":7240,"date":"2021-05-27T16:26:11","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T16:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=7240"},"modified":"2024-02-22T14:48:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:48:33","slug":"zayava-pravaabaronchyh-arganizaczyj-ab-pryznanni-12-czi-novyh-palitychnyh-znyavolenyh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2021\/05\/27\/zayava-pravaabaronchyh-arganizaczyj-ab-pryznanni-12-czi-novyh-palitychnyh-znyavolenyh.html","title":{"rendered":"12 more names on list of political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"

In response to the new cases of conviction and imprisonment on defamatory charges, we, representatives of the Belarusian human rights community, once again reaffirming our repeated demands to decriminalize defamation and refrain from imprisoning individuals for insulting officials, the state, government agencies and symbols (joint statement of December 22, 2020<\/a>), note the following:<\/p>\n

We received information about the following persons imprisoned for insulting the president, government officials (police officers), judges and insulting state symbols:<\/p>\n

Aliaksei Siamionau<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the \u010cyhuna\u010dny District Court of Viciebsk under Art. 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities) to two and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Dzmitry Yurkoits<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Navahrudak District Court under Art. 391 of the Criminal Code (insulting a judge) to one and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Illia Siliankou<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Krasnapollie District Court under Art. 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the president) to one and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Aliaksei Lipen<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Zavodski District Court of Minsk under Art. 369 (insulting a representative of the authorities) and Art. 364 of the Criminal Code to five years of restricted freedom in an open institution; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Mia Mitkevich<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Minsk City Court under Part 1 of Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement to hatred on the grounds of another social affiliation – police officers) to three years in prison;<\/p>\n

Aliaksandr Palivoda<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Brest District Court under Art. 370 of the Criminal Code (insult of state symbols) to one year of restricted freedom in an open institution; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Ivan Kulko<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Pier\u0161amajski District Court of Viciebsk under Art. 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities) to two years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Ihar Bykouskikh<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Kasty\u010dnicki District Court of Hrodna under Art. 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities) to one and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Andrei Liubetski<\/strong> \u2013 detained on charges under Part 2 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the president), taken into custody in the pre-trial detention center in \u017dodzina;<\/p>\n

Volha Takarchuk<\/strong> \u2013 detained on charges under Art. 391 (insulting a judge), Art. 188 (slander against members of an election commission) and Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (group actions grossly violating public order); taken into custody in the pre-trial detention center in \u017dodzina;<\/p>\n

Uladzimir Kolas<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 sentenced by the Ivanava District Court under Art. 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the president) to one and a half years of restricted freedom in an open correctional facility; sent to serve the sentence;<\/p>\n

Liudmila Kuzniatsova<\/strong> \u2013 sentenced by the Pru\u017eany District Court under Art. 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the president) to one year in prison.<\/p>\n

In this regard, we consider the persecution and imprisonment of Aliaksei Siamionau, Dzmitry Yurkoits, Illia Siliankou,\u00a0Aliaksei Lipen, Mia Mitkevich,\u00a0Aliaksandr Palivoda,\u00a0Ivan Kulko,\u00a0Ihar Bykouskikh,\u00a0Andrei Liubetski,\u00a0Volha Takarchuk,\u00a0Uladzimir Kolas <\/strong>and\u00a0Liudmila Kuzniatsova<\/strong>\u00a0to be\u00a0politically motivated<\/strong>, as they are related to the peaceful exercise of freedom expression. The convicts are therefore\u00a0political prisoners<\/strong>, in accordance with paragraph 3.1 (a) of the\u00a0Guidelines on the Definition of Political Prisoners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We call on the Belarusian authorities to:<\/strong><\/p>\n