Belarusian police have conducted raids on event management companies suspected of having ties to the opposition, as part of a wider crackdown on dissent. Videos of detained staffers admitting to participating in protests and having connections to opposition leaders were released by authorities, although the authenticity of the videos could not be immediately verified.
The raids come in the wake of the mass protests that swept Belarus in 2020 following the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. The protests were met with a violent response from police, resulting in thousands of detentions. The latest raids led to the detention of at least four individuals, including Belarusian comic Kiryl Allahverdzyan and Aleh Astralenka, the deputy director of an event management firm.
The human rights center Viasna reported that Belarus currently has 1,391 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The center also noted that 161 people were convicted in political cases in May alone. The report highlighted the risks faced by anyone who criticizes the political situation in Belarus or participates in protests.
The crackdown on dissent in Belarus has attracted widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations and governments. Concerns have been raised about the arbitrary convictions and inhumane treatment faced by individuals who dare to speak out against the regime. The international community continues to call for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus and an end to the repression of free speech and political opposition.
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