Belarusian police raid offices, homes of many activists, groups says

The independent Imena media and charity group, which does not consider itself an opposition outlet, also said that police had searched its offices. Nasha Niva newspaper reported that police were trying to search the offices of another rights group, Belarusian Helsinki Committee.


Reuters | Updated: 14-07-2021 15:41 IST | Created: 14-07-2021 15:20 IST
Belarusian police raid offices, homes of many activists, groups says
Representative Image Image Credit: ANI
  • Country:
  • Belarus

Belarusian security police searched offices and homes of lawyers and human rights activists on Wednesday in a new crackdown on opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, several rights groups and media said.

Authorities have moved to shut down critical and non-state media outlets and human rights bodies in the wake of mass protests last August after a presidential election the opposition said was rigged. Police searched offices of at least 14 human rights groups, media, NGOs, and charity groups, including the human rights organization, Viasna-96, and the country's oldest political party, Belarusian People Front, the groups said.

Viasna-96 said it was unable to contact its leader, Ales Byalyatski. The independent Imena media and charity group, which does not consider itself an opposition outlet, also said that police had searched its offices.

Nasha Niva newspaper reported that police were trying to search the offices of another rights group, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. Viasna-96, Nasha Niva, and Imena gave no reason for the searches. Belarus security officials were unavailable for comment.

Viasna-96 is the largest rights body in the former Soviet country and is the main source of information on political detentions and arrests. As of Tuesday evening, 555 people had been recognized as political prisoners in Belarus, it says. Authorities in Belarus said last week they had blocked Nasha Niva's website. They later said they had detained the editor and three journalists.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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