A Belarusian court has sentenced a businessman to 15 years in prison for administering more than two dozen social media chats on protests that followed a disputed presidential election in August 2020 that saw authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka claim a sixth term in power despite claims from the opposition and Western governments that the balloting was rigged.
The Minsk City Court handed down the sentence against Stanislau Kuzmitsky on November 3 after a trial behind closed doors, for administering more than 30 chat rooms, "which he filled with extremist materials under strict control and guidance from abroad."
The ruling is one of several handed down in recent weeks as Lukashenka's regime continues to step up its brutal crackdown on independent media and civil society in Belarus.
The Minsk-based Vyasna (Spring) human rights center said in a statement that details of the offense Kuzmitsky allegedly committed have not been released, although he was also charged with creating an organization to carry out terrorist activity or participate in it, calling for sanctions or other actions aimed at harming Belarus, and inciting racial, national, religious or other social enmity.
Thousands have been detained during countrywide protests over the results and there have been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment by security forces. Several people have died during the crackdown.
Lukashenka, in power since 1994, has refused to negotiate with the opposition, and many of its leaders have been arrested or have been forced to leave the country.
Last month, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights said "an unprecedented number are fleeing persecution and prospects for a safe return under the current leadership grow bleaker."
As of November 7, Vyasna says 1,391 people in Belarus are considered as political prisoners, almost all of whom have been jailed since the August 2020 presidential election.