Overview

• Authorities in Belarus have arrested Dzmitry Kuchuk, a well-known activist, on charges punishable by up to four years in prison.
• Kuchuk was arrested for attempting to lay flowers and light a candle in memory of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.
• The arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent in Belarus, targeting opposition activists, independent journalists, and rights advocates.
• Kuchuk's Green Party was shut down last year as part of a government purge ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election.
• There are currently some 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski.