Belarusian police have conducted raids on event management companies suspected of having ties to the opposition as part of a broader crackdown on dissent, according to a human rights center. Videos of detained staffers allegedly admitting to involvement in opposition activities and protests in 2020 have been released by authorities, although their authenticity and whether they were made under duress are unclear.
The crackdown follows the mass protests that erupted in Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in an election widely viewed as fraudulent. The protests were met with a violent response from the police, resulting in the detention of thousands of individuals. The latest raids targeted event management companies in Minsk and other parts of the country, leading to the arrest of at least four people.
Among those detained was comedian Kiryl Allahverdzyan, who reportedly confessed to appearing in content for an opposition TV channel. Another individual, Aleh Astralenka, admitted to participating in opposition marches in 2020 and subsequently losing government approval for his company. The human rights center Viasna reported that there are currently over 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski.
The situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, with individuals facing arbitrary convictions and harsh treatment for participating in protests or criticizing the government. The international community has expressed concern over the human rights violations in the country, calling for the release of political prisoners and an end to the crackdown on dissent.
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