Four more activists have gone on trial in Minsk on charges of inciting hatred as authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime continues its crackdown on dissent.
The Minsk City Court started all four trials on May 15, with human rights watchdogs calling the cases politically motivated.
The Crisis In Belarus
Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
Judge Tatsyana Falkouskaya is trying former lawyer Alyaksey Barodka, who faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty of "inciting racial, ethnic, religious, or other social hatred or discord."
In another courtroom at the building, Judge Anzhela Kastsyukevich will preside over the trial of Alyaksandr Kandratsyuk, a former employee at the Genetics Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus. He was arrested in September and charged with insulting Lukashenka, insulting a law enforcement officer, and inciting hatred.
Two other trials are starting on the same day in Minsk as well, for Alyaksandr Zhandarau and Ivan Puzdrou, who were charged with insulting authorities and inciting hatred.
Also on May 15, a court in the northeastern city of Vitsebsk started the trial of musician and art manager Uladzimer Bulauski.
Bulauski was arrested in December and charged with "repetitive violation of regulations for holding public events." Before that, he was arrested several times and sentenced to weeks in jail for holding protest rallies.
Hundreds of people have been handed prison terms in the unrest sparked by the August 2020 presidential election, in which Lukashenka claimed victory while rights activists and opposition politicians said the poll was rigged.
Belarus witnessed unprecedented protests over the election results that lasted for several months.
Thousands were detained, and there have been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees by security forces. Several people have died during the crackdown.
The 68-year-old Lukashenka has leaned heavily on Russian support amid Western sanctions while punishing the opposition and arresting or forcing abroad many of its leaders.
The United States, the European Union, and several other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka's self-declared victory.