Belarus | July 12, 2024
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As reported by RFE/RL’s Belarus Service on 18 April 2024, the Christian Vision Telegram channel stated that Christian preacher and activist, Syarhey Melyanets, had fled Belarus after serving two short prison sentences of 13 and 12 days on unspecified charges amid an ongoing crackdown on civil society by the government. Melyanets is known for attending the trials of government opponents facing politically motivated charges in Minsk and for publishing articles about them on Facebook.
World Watch Research analyst Rolf Zeegers points to the fact that the case of Melyanets is not directly religious persecution: “Melyanets was arrested twice because he supported activists opposing the authoritarian government, not because he was a preacher. This is merely an indication of the regime’s high level of intolerance towards any opposition voices. However, it also shows that President Lukashenko’s regime has no respect for Christian leaders and will not hold back from sending out harsh warnings.”
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