The trial of Uladzislau Beladzed, a 33-year-old Catholic activist, began behind closed doors at Minsk City Court on Wednesday. Beladzed, who taught the catechism at the city’s Cathedral of the Holy Name of the Saint Virgin Mary, is facing charges under four articles of Belarus’ criminal code, including “insulting the president” and “inciting social discord.” If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
Beladzed was actively involved in pro-opposition protests in Belarus in 2020 and was detained by police at rallies multiple times. He later supported the movement for free elections in the country and publicly prayed for peace following the start of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The trial of Beladzed has drawn sharp criticism from Western diplomats, who stood outside the courthouse demanding an end to political repression in Belarus and the release of the activist. The German Embassy in Minsk, along with other diplomatic missions, expressed solidarity with Beladzed, labeling the accusations against him as unfair and politically motivated.
According to human rights group Viasna, there are currently 1,421 political prisoners in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The country witnessed mass protests after the controversial reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020, an election deemed rigged by both the opposition and the West.
During the protests, some Catholic and Protestant churches in Belarus provided shelter and support to demonstrators. Beladzed, who has been detained for nine months, was reported to have serious health issues and was allegedly coerced into filming a video from his prison cell where he falsely claimed to be gay.
Viasna described Beladzed as a person who has endured torture and inhumane treatment but noted that he remains morally strong amidst the challenging circumstances.
