Political prisoner artist Ales Pushkin sentenced to 5 years in jail Updated

On March 30, the Minsk City Court passed a verdict has been passed in the case of Ales Pushkin, a political prisoner, a well-known Belarusian artist and performer. He was accused of desecrating state symbols (Article 370 of the Criminal Code) and inciting hatred (Part 3 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code).

The case was considered by judge Alena Shylko.The state prosecution is represented by prosecutor Aliaksandr Karol. The trial has been held in private.

The Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin was detained by the police on March 30 in the village of Žyličy, Kiraŭ district, Mahilioŭ region. On the night of March 26, Pushkin's house was searched. 

Artist’s detention was preceded by a criminal case brought against him on March 26. The Hrodna city prosecutor’s office launched a case against Pushkin and Pavel Mazheika, head of Center of City Life and others, “for committing deliberate actions, aimed at rehabilitation and justification of Nazism” under Part 3 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (Incitement to hatred). Pavel Mazheika was detained but later released without being charged.

According to the prosecutor's office, the case was brought over the portrait of Yauhen Zhykhar with an automatic gun on his shoulder, made by the artist Ales Pushkin. The portrait was put up at an exhibition, held in the Center of City Life on March 19. Prosecutor's office stated, that with his artwork Ales Pushkin “characterized Zhykhar as a man of the Belarusian resistance, a fighter against the Bolsheviks, by which glorified and approved of his actions”.

In late November 2021, it became known that the artist was sent to a psychiatric hospital for examination. In mid-December 2021, Ales returned to pre-trial detention center.

At the end of last year, a final indictment was filed under two articles of the Criminal Code: under Part 3 of Art. 130 (Intentional actions to rehabilitate Nazism committed by a group of individuals) and Art. 370 (Desecration of state symbols). On January 12, 2022, the case was sent to court.

Ales' trial began on March 10, 2022. It is known that on March 25th Ales Pushkin cut his own stomach.

On March 30, 2022, the court found Pushkin guilty and sentenced him to 5 years in a general-regime penal colony.  During the announcement of the verdict, Ales spoke loudly and undressed so that the cuts on his stomach in the shape of a cross could be seen. For this, he was placed in a punishment cell for 13 days.

In the first version of the article, it was reported that Ales Pushkin cut his stomach during the trial. It was later clarified that this happened in prison. In court, Ales demonstrated the marks of the cuts, for which he was placed in a punishment cell. We apologize for the misinformation.