Belarusian Police Raid Event Management Companies with Suspected Opposition Ties
According to a human rights center, police in Belarus have conducted raids on dozens of event management companies believed to have ties to the opposition. Videos of detained employees admitting to participating in the 2020 mass protest marches and having links to opposition leaders were released by authorities, although the authenticity of the videos could not be immediately verified.
The crackdown follows the 2020 protests that erupted in Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in an election deemed fraudulent by many. The demonstrations, met with a violent response from authorities, resulted in the detention of around 35,000 people.
At least four individuals, including Belarusian comic Kiryl Allahverdzyan, were detained in the recent raids conducted in Minsk and across the country. One individual, Aleh Astralenka, the deputy director of event management firm Pink Zebra, admitted to participating in opposition marches in 2020 and stated that his company would no longer be allowed to organize cultural events due to his actions.
The human rights center Viasna reported that there are currently 1,391 political prisoners in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The report also highlighted that 161 people were convicted in political cases in May and warned that anyone who criticizes the political situation in Belarus risks arbitrary conviction and harsh treatment.
The ongoing crackdown on dissent in Belarus reflects the government’s continued efforts to suppress opposition voices and maintain control over the population.
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