Political prisoner Vital Shcherbich sentenced to four years in prison
Political prisoner Vital Shcherbich together with his wife and children
Judge Anzhela Kastsiukevich of the Zavodski District Court of Minsk sentenced today political prisoner Vital Shcherbich to four years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty of preparing for mass riots (Part 1 of Art. 13 and Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code).
Shcherbich was detained on November 17, 2020. During a search in his apartment, the police found fireworks and airsoft ammunition, as well as nine homemade tire-flattening spikes. The entire case was based on information from a mobile operator alleging Vital’s presence near the locations of several rallies held in August and September 2020, a telephone conversation with his mother, messages in a telegram chat called “Civil Self-Defense of Belarus” and confiscated items.
Vital Shcherbich pleaded not guilty.
The human rights community of Belarus called him a political prisoner.
