Posts Tagged ‘detention’

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NGOs call for the release of Egyptian investigative journalism platform Matsadaash

October 6, 2026

On 30 September 2026 the MENA Rigths Group and partner organisations called for the immediate release of six journalists working at the independent investigative journalism platform Matsadaash.

Photo collage of the six Egyptian Matsadaash journalists, arrested between September 28 and 29, 2026, courtesy of The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP).

We, the undersigned civil society organisations and independent media outlets, come together to condemn the escalating crackdown on independent Egyptian investigative journalism platform Matsadaash, which now includes the arrest of six journalists, constituting the entirety of the newsroom.

Late into the evening of Monday, September 28 and early Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Egyptian security forces conducted raids on the homes of journalists Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira and Abdallah Qadry and took them into custody. Raids on the homes of other journalists working for the platform continued across several governorates over the hours to come. By the end of the day on Tuesday, Islam Barakat and Omar Helal were arrested at their homes in Gharbiya and Port Said, and Mohamed Mahmoud and Mohamed Adel were arrested in Cairo.

During the home raids, officers confiscated phones and laptops, including devices belonging to family members; refused to display a warrant; and refused to disclose where the journalists were being taken. As of the writing of this statement, the reasons for their arrest has not been shared and their location remains unknown. 

In 2018, Matsadaash was founded by a group of Egyptian journalists committed to producing in-depth reporting and open-source investigations. Matsadaash has operated openly for years and has built a reputation for credible and accurate reporting on a range of public interest issues across Egypt. The detained Matsadaash journalists are known across the region. 

This is not the first time that Matsadaash has come under attack by the Egyptian authorities. In 2023, a Matsadaash editor was arrested. Although he was ultimately released 48 hours later, the platform has also previously been the target of smear campaigns intended to silence its critical work. Egypt is one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, with 19 currently behind bars.

We, the undersigned, call on Egyptian authorities to immediately release Mohamed Ashraf Abu Emeira, Abdallah Qadry, Islam Barakat, Omar Helal, Mohamed Mahmoud, and Mohamed Adel from custody.

Signatories

  • Access Now
  • Aegis Safety Alliance
  • Agência Lupa
  • AITAS
  • AlJumhuriya Collective – Syria 
  • Al Manassa
  • American Committee for Middle East Rights (ACMER)
  • ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism)
  • ARTICLE 19
  • Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE)
  • Beam Reports 
  • Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
  • Center for International Policy (CIP)
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • Daraj Media 
  • Delfi Estonia Fact-Check
  • Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
  • Egyptian Front for Human Rights
  • Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF)
  • Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
  • EgyptWide for Human Rights
  • Electronic Frontier Foundation
  • Ellinika Hoaxes – Greece
  • El Nadim Center against Violence and Torture
  • EuroMed Rights
  • FactCheck Georgia
  • FactReview 
  • FairSquare
  • Fareq Platform
  • Full Fact
  • Global Voices
  • Gohoud to Support Human Rights Defenders
  • Greece Fact Check
  • Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
  • Hibrid.info
  • Hounna Feminist Platform
  • Human Rights Watch
  • HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement
  • INSM
  • International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
  • International Fact-Checking Network
  • International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
  • Intersection Association for Rights and Freedoms
  • Kawaakibi Foundation
  • Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF)
  • Mada Masr 
  • Medical Dialofuss
  • MENA Rights Group
  • Muwatin Media Network
  • Najda Human Rights
  • Newtral
  • OCCRP
  • Pagella Politica / Facta news
  • PEN Lebanon 
  • Press Trust of India
  • Project Kontinuum
  • PolitiFact
  • Politiken
  • Raseef22
  • Refugees Platform in Egypt (RPE)
  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  • Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center
  • REDWORD for Human Rights & Freedom of Expression
  • Samir Kassir Foundation
  • Share3 Media 
  • Sinai Foundation for Human Rights 
  • SMEX
  • Start Point Organization
  • Syria Justice and Accountability Center
  • Syrian Journalists Association (SJA)
  • Taafi initiative
  • Tafnied for Fact-Checking
  • Tech4Peace 
  • The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession (ACIJLP)
  • The Checker – Iraq
  • The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
  • The Public Source 
  • The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
  • Women for Justice Foundation
  • Verificat 
  • Verify 

https://menarights.org/en/articles/ngos-call-release-entire-newsroom-egyptian-investigative-journalism-platform-matsadaash

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Two ethnic Vietnamese human rights defenders missing in Cambodia

September 29, 2026
Ethnic Vietnamese activists missing in Cambodia

Two members of Viet Tan, Nguyen Duc Thuan and Tran Hiep, have been missing in Cambodia since Sept. 18, 2026. To date, their families and colleagues have received no information about their whereabouts. (Photo:viettan.org)

Two ethnic Vietnamese Catholics — an Australian and a Norwegian — have gone missing in Cambodia after meeting with activists from the Viet Tan movement, which advocates for a free and democeacy. As reported by UCA news on 28 September 2026.

Nguyen Duc Thuan and Tran Hiep are long-time human rights defenders. Clearly, this is not an ordinary missing persons case. They disappeared 10 days ago. Friends and family want to know: Where is Thuan? Where is Hiep? If Vietnamese intelligence agents operating in Cambodia had a hand in their disappearance or abduction, then this must be brought to light and the Hanoi government must be accountable for acts of transnational repression, Hoang told UCA News.

Both men flew into Phnom Penh on Sept. 15 from Bangkok and were scheduled to leave Sept. 19, but they never boarded their flights, Hoang said, adding Hiep last spoke with his mother on Sept. 18 about an upcoming family birthday.

United States-based Viet Tan is banned in Vietnam and is officially designated as a terrorist organization. Its members have been handed lengthy jail terms for plotting to overthrow the country’s one-party communist government.

However, human rights groups are increasingly concerned about transnational repression, alleging Southeast Asian countries were turning a blind eye to foreign governments, extending their reach beyond national borders to harass and silence their critics.

While details are still a bit sketchy, the sudden disappearance of these two Viet Tan activists has all the hallmarks of transnational repression,  said Phil Robertson, Director of Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates.

Hoang said Viet Tan members in Vietnam and around the world had for many years connected regularly with activists and civil society organizations to exchange ideas and offer mutual support while Thuan and Hiep were also active in their local communities.

Since news of their disappearance became known, several Catholic congregations have planned prayer vigils for their safe return and posted messages in support.

Hoang said Viet Tan was working closely with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in trying to locate the pair.

https://www.ucanews.com/amp/ethnic-vietnamese-activists-missing-in-cambodia/115523

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/29/melbourne-human-rights-activist-tran-hiep-missing-cambodia-ntwnfb

Just came in: What initially appeared to be the disappearance of two activists in Cambodia has now developed into a case involving three countries, allegations of terrorism and accusations of transnational repression. Vietnamese authorities have since confirmed that Hiep and Thuan are in custody in Vietnam. Their organisation, Viet Tan, says something very different happened from the official account: according to the group, the two men were abducted while still in Cambodia and forcibly transported across the border into Vietnam. ABC News

https://www.channeldraw.org/2026/09/29/tran-hiep-an-australian-human-rights-activist-disappears-in-cambodia-and-reappears-in-vietnamese-custody/

https://cambodianess.com/article/impossible-wife-slams-missing-activist-terror-claims

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Detention, torture and silence: SOS-Defenders’ 2025 report on censorship by detention — 60 new defenders were jailed last year

September 6, 2026

Repressive governments arbitrarily detained at least 60 human rights defenders across 14 countries in 2025, according to the latest report by the SOS-Defenders platform, a collective initiative of local, regional and international organisations coordinated by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT).

The 2025 edition of the Censorship by Detention report, released on 3 September 2026, documents the use of arbitrary arrest across 14 countries with repressive regimes. The report reveals journalists and bloggers were the single most targeted group, accounting for 28 of the 60 documented detentions, followed by community leaders, academics, NGO members and lawyers. Afghanistan (16), Ethiopia (14) and Guatemala (10) recorded the highest numbers.

Detention is rarely the end of the abuse. Human rights defenders held in 2025 were subjected to physical violence, psychological abuse and forced confessions, secret and prolonged incommunicado detention, and inhuman conditions including prison overcrowding, denial of medical care and prolonged solitary confinement. OMCT’s Global Torture Index rates the risk of torture and ill-treatment for defenders as “Considerable” or worse in 36 of the 38 countries assessed. The report warns that violations behind prison walls remain severely underreported.

“This report is both an alarm and a call to action,” said Stéphanie David, Secretary General of OMCT. “Governments are increasingly using detention not only as punishment, but as a weapon of censorship — and, too often, torture and ill-treatment follow through the prison gates. We refuse to let these defenders be erased: OMCT and its partners will continue to expose these practices.”

“States must act,” added Claudia Virginia Samayoa, President of OMCT and Chair of the SOS-Defenders Advisory Group. “We call on governments to immediately and unconditionally release every human rights defender arbitrarily detained for their peaceful work, to end torture and ill-treatment behind bars, and to guarantee the right to defend human rights for all.”

Conversely, the report highlights that sustained coordinated advocacy, legal action, diplomatic pressure, and collective action contributed to securing the release of 87 defenders across 18 countries, with Belarus (22), Iran (15), Ethiopia (13) and Afghanistan (12) leading.

SOS-Defenders brings together more than 20 local, regional and international civil society organisations, convened under the auspices of the OMCT–FIDH Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. The initiative consolidates global data on the arbitrary detention of defenders on a single public platform to drive coordinated action for their release. Since its launch, the platform has published more than 670 cases of arbitrarily detained defenders.

https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/detention-torture-and-silence-sos-defenders-2025-report-on-censorship

Posted in FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | Leave a Comment »
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FEDA – Egypt political prisoners’ families launch new international rights group

August 17, 2026

On 14 August 2026, families of Egyptian detainees launched Families of Egyptian Detainees Association (FEDA) to seek releases, fair trials and better prison conditions on the 13th anniversary of Rabaa to seek practical solutions to what it described as a 13-year detention crisis and press for improved prison conditions and fair trials.

In its founding statement, FEDA said its main objective was to bring an end to “the tragedy that has continued for 13 years” by pursuing measures that could lead to the release of political detainees.The group’s launch coincides with the 13th anniversary of the Rabaa and Nahda massacres on 14 August 2013, when Egyptian security forces violently dispersed two sit-ins by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

The association said it would use legal and political channels to seek prisoners’ release and push for fair trials and detention conditions that comply with Egyptian law and international standards.

Its plans include approaching Egyptian and international institutions, political and religious leaders, and figures working in politics, media and human rights. FEDA also intends to visit the United Nations and bodies dealing with detention and enforced disappearance, pursue legal cases over alleged abuses and organise solidarity events.

Human Rights Watch estimated in 2017 that around 60,000 people had been imprisoned on political grounds since that year, although that cannot be treated as a current estimate of those presently held.

Rights organisations say political detention has affected journalists, activists, human rights defenders, protesters, academics and political opponents, as well as people detained over expression or political activity.

The association stressed that it was not aligned with any particular political movement, saying its purpose was to represent detainees’ families and work with Egyptian and international institutions to bring the political detention crisis to an end.

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https://www.newarab.com/news/egypt-political-prisoners-families-launch-intl-rights-group

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Algeria: UN experts demand release of arbitrarily detained journalist Hassan Bouras

August 11, 2026

On 10 July 2026, UN experts expressed deep concern over the detention of Algerian journalist and human rights defender Hassan Bouras, who faces serious risks after several weeks on hunger strike in detention.

“We are deeply concerned by the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Bouras, as well as the serious risks to his life, health and physical integrity,” the experts said.

On 12 April 2026, plainclothes security agents apprehended Bouras outside his home in El Bayadh, reportedly without a warrant or explanation. The following day, the El Bayadh court ordered his pre-trial detention on several charges, including membership of a terrorist organisation and disseminating publications deemed harmful to the national interest.

“We are troubled that his arrest and detention appear to be linked to the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, to promote, protect and defend human rights as well as to participation in public affairs through his work as a journalist and human rights defender,” the experts said.

The arrest follows a pattern of judicial harassment linked to Bouras’ journalistic and human rights activities.

On 2 May, Bouras was placed in solitary confinement for beginning a hunger strike to protest his detention and the violation of his human rights. During the hunger strike, which lasted 26 days, he collapsed twice and developed serious health complications without receiving adequate medical care – a matter of acute concern given his pre-existing cardiac and respiratory conditions. His deteriorating condition raised acute concerns for his health and well-being.

On 22 June, his case was referred to the local criminal court and is now pending trial. This comes amidst increasing concerns regarding restrictions on civil and political rights and freedom of the press in the country, as well as the ability of journalists and human rights defenders to carry out their work free from intimidation.

The experts stressed that deprivation of liberty for the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression is incompatible with international human rights law. They recalled that all persons deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity and body integrity.

“We urge Algerian authorities to act without delay to protect Mr. Bouras’ life, health and freedom of expression. He must be granted immediate access to legal counsel and adequate medical care,” the experts said.

“We call for Mr. Bouras’ immediate release and for an end to the broader pattern of harassment and prosecution of journalists and human rights defenders in Algeria.”

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/07/algeria-un-experts-demand-release-arbitrarily-detained-journalist-hassan

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/case-history-hassan-bouras

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Arbitrarily detained lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic in Serbia must be released says ICJ

May 30, 2026
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On 15 April 2026 The ICJ condemned the continued deprivation of liberty of Serbian lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic and the criminal proceedings against him on charges of incitement to violent overthrow of the constitutional order and disclosure of official secrets, which appear to constitute reprisals for the exercise of his right to freedom of expression. On 4 April 2026, Serbia’s Bar Association (Advokatska komora Srbije) expressed concern that the political nature of the charges against him and the three-year period covered by the indictment “give rise to the suspicion that his detention, along with other measures imposed against attorney Stojkovic, are being used as a means of coercion, rather than as a means of ensuring the unobstructed conduct of criminal proceedings.” The Bar Association demanded that Stojkovic be released pending trial.

“The prosecution of a lawyer for social media posts expressing criticism of the authorities is incompatible with Serbia’s obligations under international human rights law and standards,” said Temur Shakirov, ICJ Europe and Central Asia Programme Director. “The Serbian authorities must release Stojkovic and ensure that lawyers can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of reprisal.”

The political nature of the charges, the breadth of the indictment covering social media posts over a three-year period, and the severity of the restrictive measures imposed on him, including pre-trial detention, house arrest and a prohibition on posting on social media and on participating in public life, give rise to serious concern that he is being prosecuted to punish him for his public criticism of the Serbian authorities.

Stojkovic was arrested on 29 December 2025 and held in pre-trial detention for 30 days before being transferred to house arrest on 27 March 2026. He remains subject to restrictive measures, including a prohibition on posting on social media and on participating in public life. The charges relate to 17 social media posts published over approximately three years, which the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade has characterized as incitement to violent overthrow of the constitutional order and disclosure of official secrets.

On 24 March 2026, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers addressed a communication to the Serbian Government expressing concern that several provisions of a series of amendments and newly adopted laws relating to the judiciary and the prosecution authorities “may not be in line with international human rights standards related to the independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial, including: the impartiality of the prosecution service, the separation of powers, and the ability of judges and prosecutors to perform their functions free from undue influence, pressure or interference.”

https://www.icj.org/serbia-arbitrarily-detained-lawyer-cedomir-stojkovic-must-be-released

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Kashmiri journalist Irfan Meraj three years detained

March 23, 2026

Srinagar: A coalition of international human rights organizations has called for the immediate release of Kashmiri journalist Irfan Meraj, three years after his arrest by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA).

According to Kashmir Media Service, nearly three dozen human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists, said Meraj’s continued detention is based on charges they believe are politically motivated and linked to his work documenting human rights issues in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The organizations said that the case reflects growing pressure on journalists and researchers working on sensitive issues in the territory. The advocacy groups highlighted the detention of Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), who has been held since 2021. Investigators previously described Mehaj as an associate of Parvez, a fact that rights organizations say forms part of the basis for the charges against him.

The coalition urged the Indian government to end what they described as reprisals against journalists and human rights defenders in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to reconsider laws that allow extended detention without trial. They also criticized the Modi-led Indian government for failing to respond to several inquiries previously raised by UN human rights experts regarding alleged violations in the region.

The groups called on the international community to monitor the situation closely and encourage greater protection for journalists and civil society organizations, stating that continued attention from international institutions may be necessary to ensure that press freedom and basic civil liberties are upheld in the territory.

Meraj was arrested in March 2023 during an investigation conducted by India’s National Investigation Agency for uploading posts on brutalities of Indian forces in the territory.

https://kmsnews.org/kms/2026/03/22/global-rights-groups-urge-release-of-kashmiri-journalist-rights-defender.html

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Joint NGO appeal for Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace on 15th anniversary of his arrest in Bahrain

March 19, 2026
Dr Abduljalil AlSingace – Bahrain – Credit Hasan Jamali

17 March 2026: PEN International, together with a coalition of human rights organisations, wrote to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, urging the release of Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, a 64-year-old human rights defender imprisoned for fifteen years for his pro-democracy activism. The letter highlights his deteriorating health due to denial of medical care, including delayed surgery and lack of physiotherapy, and his hunger strikes protesting the confiscation of his manuscripts and research. The organisations call on Bahraini authorities to release Dr Al-Singace, provide adequate healthcare, and return his confiscated work, noting that his release ahead of Eid Al-Fitr would be a meaningful act of compassion and reconciliation amid ongoing regional turmoil.

Your Majesties,

We are writing to respectfully urge Your Majesties to order the release of human rights defender Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, who has now completed fifteen years of arbitrary imprisonment while serving a life sentence for his role in the pro-democracy movement.

Bahrain is currently facing unprecedented challenges as the regional conflict intensifies. The country has been subjected to multiple attacks and its airspace has been closed. At such a difficult time for the nation, acts that promote compassion, unity, and reconciliation are more important than ever. The release of Dr Al-Singace and others imprisoned for their human rights work and political views would send an important message during this difficult time.

Dr Al-Singace, now 64 years old, has been held in medical facilities since July 2021 and is currently detained at Muharraq Specialised Health Care Centre. He began a hunger strike in protest of the confiscation of his manuscripts and academic research. Since then, he has survived primarily on liquid intake, including multivitamin supplements. At times, he has resorted to full hunger strikes to protest the denial of medication and access to specialised medical treatment.

In November 2025, the UN Committee against Torture expressed serious concerns regarding his ongoing detention and urged Bahrain to release Dr Al-Singace, alongside fellow human rights defenders Hassan Mushaima and Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.

We remain deeply concerned that Dr Al-Singace continues to suffer from the systematic denial of adequate medical care. For example, since 2021, he has experienced severe shoulder pain. After prolonged delays in obtaining a proper diagnosis, he finally received an MRI scan last year and doctors advised that surgery is required. However, there has been no indication as to when this operation will take place. He also continues to be denied physiotherapy despite his disability. These medical concerns should be addressed without further delay.

With Eid Al-Fitr approaching, an occasion traditionally marked by royal pardons, we respectfully ask that Dr Al-Singace be included among those pardoned. In the meantime, we urge Your Majesties to ensure that he is held in conditions that meet international standards, receives his medication without delay, and has access to adequate healthcare in compliance with medical ethics. We also urge the relevant authorities to facilitate the return of his confiscated research to his family at the earliest opportunity.

At a time when the region is experiencing profound turmoil, the release of political prisoners, including Dr Al-Singace, would offer a meaningful gesture of compassion and help ease the suffering felt by many families in Bahrain.

Yours sincerely,

  • ALQST for Human Rights
  • ARTICLE 19
  • Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
  • Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)
  • The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies Committee on Academic Freedom
  • CIVICUS
  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • DAWN
  • English PEN
  • The Free Al-Khawaja Campaign
  • Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
  • International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
  • International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
  • PEN International
  • Reprieve
  • Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (DHR)
  • Scholars at Risk
  • Wales PEN Cymru

https://www.pen-international.org/news/bahrainjoint-appeal-for-dr-abduljalil-al-singace-on-15th-anniversary-of-his-arrest

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/10/immensely-brave-abduljalil-al-singace-named-international-writer-of-courage-pen

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UN expert urges Togo to release human rights defender Abdoul Aziz Goma

December 29, 2025

On 23 December 2025, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, renewed her call on authorities in Togo to release Togolese-Irish citizen and human rights defender Abdoul Aziz Goma from prison on the seventh anniversary of his arrest.

“Abdoul has now been arbitrarily detained for seven years and has been on hunger strike since 8 November 2025, protesting against the injustices he has faced. As he marks his 44th day without food, I am seriously concerned for his life,” Lawlor said.

Abdoul Aziz Goma was arrested in Lomé in 2018 after providing shelter to a group of young people who had travelled to the capital to demonstrate. Although he did not participate in any protests himself, Aziz Goma offered help to the youths when approached by an acquaintance.

Aziz Goma was initially held in secret for a number of years before being transferred to Togo’s formal prison system in 2022. He has been reportedly subjected to ill-treatment and denial of adequate medical care in prison, which have left him with a debilitating health condition.

In February 2025, when he was finally tried, Aziz Goma was convicted on multiple charges, including undermining national security, in a single day procedure and sentenced to ten years in prison.

Aziz Goma is reportedly very weak from hunger and reduced to spending much of the day lying down.

In September 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Aziz Goma’s ongoing detention was arbitrary.

The Special Rapporteur has also raised her concerns about Aziz Goma’s treatment and ongoing detention with Togolese authorities in 2021 and 2024.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/un-expert-urges-togo-release-human-rights-defender-abdoul-aziz-goma

https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/12/un-expert-urges-togo-to-release-human-rights-defender-from-prison/

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Belarus marks Lawyers’ Day with 18 human rights defenders in prison

December 22, 2025
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The image of Themis. Photo: SB. Belarus Segodnya

The first Sunday in December is Lawyers’ Day in Belarus. It is celebrated against the backdrop of the fact that at least 18 lawyers, human rights activists, and legal professionals remain in prison. Since 2020, according to the Right to Defence project, 146 lawyers have had their licenses revoked, and dozens have been charged with administrative and criminal offences. Among those currently imprisoned for political reasons are Aliaksei Barodka, Vital Brahinets, Aliaksandr Danilevich, Maksim Znak, Anastasia Lazarenka, Siarhei Khlystou, and Yuliya Yurhilevich.

On November 29, the Homyel Regional Court convicted 41-year-old preacher Aliaksei Yahiela, charged with “assisting extremist activity” under two parts of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code. Yahiela, who has a medical background but also worked as an evangelical preacher and healthy-lifestyle activist, had attracted attention, even from state media, for his anti-smoking initiative. Initially, it was unknown what sentence Aliaksei would receive.

However, it later emerged that he had been sentenced to imprisonment and is currently being held at Homiel’s Pretrial Detention Center No. 3.

Marharyta Yasevich, 29, a BSU history graduate from Lida, was convicted of “assisting extremist activity” under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code. Yasevich, who, after graduating, ran a business in Smolensk and lived in Samakhvalavichy for the last few years, was sentenced, according to preliminary information, to imprisonment under house arrest.

https://en.belsat.eu/90442202/belarus-marks-lawyers-day-with-18-lawyers-and-rights-defenders-in-prison

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