On October 6, we learned that one of Belarus’s top human rights defenders, Ales Bialiatski, has been charged with tax evasion and faces up to seven years in prison. Bialiatski has been behind bars since his July 14 arrest, but the exact charges against him had been unknown, due to a non-disclosure agreement his lawyers were forced to sign. The charges finally came to light during this week’s court hearing appealing his pre-trial detention.
Protests in Belarus
Human Rights Watch: Belarus authorities ‘purge’ human rights defenders
An opposition supporter brandishes a former white-red-white flags of Belarus as people parade through the streets in Minsk, on Oct. 25, 2020, on the final day of an ultimatum set by the opposition for their embattled strongman leader to resign after months of mass protests.
