
Viasna case is a series of criminal investigations targeting the organization's leaders and regular members for their human rights activities and assistance to people in defending their rights and public interests.
7 Viasna members are currently in prison: chairperson Ales Bialiatski, deputy chairperson Valiantsin Stefanovich, lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich, coordinator of Viasna's network of volunteers Marfa Rabkova, head of Viasna's office in Homieĺ Leanid Sudalenka, volunteers Tatsiana Lasitsa and Andrei Chapiuk.
Viasna members are facing charges of "organizing and financing group actions that grossly violate public order" (Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 342) and "tax evasion" (Part 2 of Art. 243 of the Criminal Code).
Marfa Rabkova and Andrei Chapiuk were additionally charged with "rioting" (Art. 293) and "involvement in a criminal group" (Part 2 of Art. 285 of the Criminal Code). Marfa is also accused of "incitement to hostility" (Art. 130 of the Criminal Code).
Marfa Rabkova was arrested in Minsk on September 17, 2020. Viasna volunteer Andrei Chapiuk was arrested on October 2, 2020.
Leanid Sudalenka and volunteer Maryia Tarasenka were arrested in Homieĺ on January 18, 2021. 72 hours later, Tarasenka was released but remained a suspect in the case. On January 21, Sudalenka's assistant, volunteer in Rečyca, Tatsiana Lasitsa was arrested.
The trial of the Homieĺ human rights activists took place from September 3 to November 3, 2021. The prosecutors called to sentence Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasitsa to three years in prison each, and Maryia Tarasenka to two and a half years in prison. As a result, judge Siarhei Salouski sentenced Leanid to 3 years and Tatsiana to 2.5 years in prison. Tarasenka managed to leave the country, and her case is yet to be finalized.
Numerous Viasna members were targeted by police raids on February 16 and July 14 . As a result of a series of raids held across the country, a total of more than 30 activists of Viasna were detained, including their family members and former activists, and more than 50 homes and offices were searched. After that, Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Uladzimir Labkovich were remanded in custody and charged in a criminal case. At least seven more people are suspects.
All imprisoned Viasna members were called political prisoners by the country's leading human rights organizations.