Anastasiia Kruope
Human Rights Watch
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Past articles by Anastasiia:
In Belarus, Jailed for Protecting Loved Ones
Last week, a court in Brest, Belarus sentenced Daria Losik to two years in prison for an interview she gave about her incarcerated husband, Ihar Losik, to independent broadcaster Belsat, which Belarusian authorities have labeled extremist. → Read More
Jailed Belarusian Rights Defender Faces Ill-Treatment
On Monday, a court in Minsk, Belarus, sentenced human rights defender Nasta Lojka to 15 days’ detention on bogus charges of “petty hooliganism”. This is fourth time in three months authorities have locked her up for a 15-day period. → Read More
Russia Uses Facial Recognition to Hunt Down Draft Evaders
Moscow authorities are using the city’s video surveillance system with facial recognition technology to track down and detain draftees seeking to evade mobilization for Russia’s war on Ukraine. → Read More
Belarusian Authorities Further Tighten Chokehold on Civil Society
Over the past two years, Belarusian authorities have purged the country of civic organizations, effectively criminalizing human rights work. → Read More
Harsh Sentences for Belarusian Activists in Politically Motivated Case
Today, a Minsk city court sentenced Maria (Marfa) Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk from leading Belarusian human rights group Viasna to 15 and 6 years’ imprisonment respectively. Eight other Belarusian activists prosecuted in connection with the same case were given sentences from 5 to 17 years’ imprisonment. → Read More
The Russian Government’s Advance on Biometric Data
Last week, Russian legislators adopted a law obliging banks and state agencies to enter their clients’ biometrics, including facial images and voice samples, into a central biometrics database. The measure is set to take effect in March 2023 and does not require banks to seek clients’ consent before handing over their data. → Read More
Belarusian Journalist’s Sentencing Indicates New Levels of Repression
Last week, a court in Homieĺ, Belarus, found journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva guilty of “high treason.” She is already serving a two-year sentence on bogus charges, and the new verdict increased her total sentence to eight years and three months. → Read More
Feminist and LGBT Rights Activist on Trial in Russia
A prosecutor has called for Russian activist Yulia Tsvetkova to serve three years and two months in prison during a closed trial over absurd “pornography” charges. → Read More
Witness: In Moldova, Romani Family Fleeing Ukraine Faces Discrimination
Olga, the grandmother of a Romani family, her daughter Maria (all names changed), and her three teenage granddaughters fled their home in Ukraine about a month ago and sought refuge in neighboring Moldova. They look exhausted after a ten-hour bus trip from a village in the north to the capital, Chisinau. → Read More
Belarus Blocks Human Rights Watch Website
The blocking comes days after Human Rights Watch published a report documenting several apparent war crimes by Russian forces in Ukraine, including eyewitness testimony about the summary execution of a man in the town of Bucha. → Read More
The Kremlin’s Quest for Biometric Data
Russia’s government has directly intervened to seize control of biometric data belonging to Russian citizens, and is refusing to detail how it will be used by security agencies. → Read More
Retaliating against Rights Groups Means Retaliating against People in Need
Last year, Belarusian authorities redoubled their crackdown on civil society, shutting down hundreds of civic organizations and prosecuting and harassing human rights defenders and their families. This year is starting out no differently. → Read More
Belarusian Authorities Retaliate Against Lawyers Defending Human Rights
On October 25, the Minsk Bar Association disbarred prominent Belarusian defense lawyer Natalia Matskevich, the latest in a wide-raging and politically motivated crackdown on lawyers. → Read More
Belarus Authorities ‘Purge’ Human Rights Defenders
The brutal crackdown on Viasna is part of the wider ‘purge’ of civil society declared by President Aliaksandr Lukashenka. At least 800 people remain behind bars on politically motivated charges. → Read More
Belarusian Authorities “Liquidate” Leading Media Freedom Organization
On August 27, the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld the appeal by the Justice Ministry to strip the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) of its official registration. → Read More
Outrageous Crackdown on Freedom of Expression Continues in Belarus
Democratic governments and international organizations are this week expressing shock and outrage over the unlawful forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk, and the consequent arbitrary arrest of prominent Belarussian activist and journalist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, Sofya Sapega. But despite statements of condemnation by key international actors, and of measures taken in… → Read More
Belarusian Authorities Move to Silence Leading Media Outlet
This week Belarusian authorities took yet another step in their relentless campaign to stifle independent media. This time their target is TUT.BY, one of the country’s largest news outlets. → Read More
New Laws Further Stifle Freedom of Speech in Belarus
On April 2, Belarus’ parliament moved forward eight bills that could further undermine freedom of speech and the work of independent journalists in Belarus. → Read More
Witness: Journalists Wait for Justice in Belarus
Belarus’s independent journalists are paying the price for reporting on their government’s human rights abuses. Meanwhile, journalists’ families hope that justice prevails and that their loved ones will be home soon. → Read More
Russia Slows Down Twitter Access
Today, Russian authorities claimed they slowed down access to Twitter in Russia in response to the social media site’s failure to take down allegedly illegal content. Russian authorities have listed Twitter as a “threat” and have said they might block it altogether if it does not censor such content. → Read More