|
After Lukashenko's previous re-election in 2020, which was seen
at home and abroad as rigged, he responded to a wave of mass
protests with brutal repressions that saw more than 65,000
people detained.
About 1,300 are currently held behind bars as political
prisoners, according to the Viasna human rights group, including
the group’s founder and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales
Bialiatski.
The Investigative Committee, Belarus’ top state criminal
investigation agency, announced Tuesday that it has opened new
criminal inquiries against 22 opposition activists on charges of
their alleged involvement in a “conspiracy to seize power” and
against 23 others who are accused of creating an “extremist
group” for their activities. The activists, most of whom have
fled Belarus, have been slapped with confiscation of their
apartments and other assets and will face up to 12 years in
prison if convicted.
The new criminal investigations follow the activists’ move to
launch a new effort to coordinate the opposition activities
ahead of next year’s presidential vote and set the stage for
future democratic reforms. In August, Belarusian opposition
activists also staged rallies in several countries.
Hundreds of thousands have fled the country amid the brutal
crackdown on protests after the 2020 election. Viasna said that
at least 66 opposition activists, who have returned to Belarus,
have been convicted and sentenced on politically motivated
charges. Some others have been sent to psychiatric hospitals for
mandatory treatment.
All contents © copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
