What happened to political prisoners on 19-25 December

There are currently 1,439 political prisoners in Belarus — and counting. Every week the courts keep handing down new sentences and laying new charges against those already in custody. But there are also those who have served their term and are finally released. Viasna has collected all the news about political prisoners from December 19–25.

Political prisoner count

Last week the list of political prisoners was updated with 10 new names.

Latest convictions

Last week, Viasna received the reports of at least eleven people convicted in court.

• On 25 November, the Court of Babrujsk and Babrujsk District passed a sentence on a third-year student of the Belarusian National Technical University Mikita Maliar, accused of desecration of state symbols (Article 370 of the Criminal Code). The young man will spend 2 years in an open-type correctional facility.
• On 28 November, Dokšycy District Court convicted 19-year-old Aliaksandr Sinitsa for leaving protest slogans on a store wall (Article 341 of the Criminal Code). Judge Viachaslau Eliseyenka sentenced the young man to a year and a half of imprisonment.
• In early December, the Kastryčnicki District Court of Viciebsk sentenced ex-police officer Uladzislau Auchynnikau to 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment and a fine of $3,800. He was accused of illegal possession of computer information (part 1 of Article 352) and taking advantage of public office (part 2 of Article 424 of the Criminal Code).
• On 5 December, the Court of Pinsk District and Pinsk Municipality convicted a local Dzianis Stasievich for insulting a public officer (Art. 369 of the Criminal Code). This is the second conviction under this article for Dzianis. Taking into account the unserved portion of previous criminal sentence, the court sentenced Stasievish to three years of home confinement.
• On 6 December, the Partyzanski District Court of Minsk sentenced spouses Daria and Mikhail Sudniks to three years of home confinement for participation in protests (Article 342 of the Criminal Code). The couple was detained based on photos from a photo book about protests in Belarus I'm Coming Out.
• On 16 December, Baranavičy war vet Hennadz Barys was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility for insulting Aliaksadr Lukashenka (part 1 of Article 368) and state symbols (Article 370 of the Criminal Code).
• On 20 December, the Centralny Disctrict Court of Minsk pronounced the verdict on 24-year-old tour guide Aksana Mankevich. She was convicted under part 1 of article 342 of the Criminal Code (active participation in actions that grossly violate public order) and sentenced to three years of home confinement. Mankevich won't be able to give any more excursions in Belarus, accroding to new regulations regarding dissidents.
• On 21 December, Zavadski District Court of Minsk passed a verdict in the criminal case against 25-year-old political prisoner Artsiom Zabeliankou. He was convicted under part 1 of Article 342 (active participation in actions that grossly violate public order) and Article 198 of the Criminal Code (obstruction of the legitimate professional activities of a journalist) for his participation in the Pride March on 11 October 2020 and preventing the regime promoter Ryhor Azaronak and operator Andrei Ivanenka from filming. Judge Elena Kaptsevich sentenced the young man to two years of imprisonment.
• On 22 December, Minsk Regional Court passed a verdict in a high-profile criminal case against one of the "rail guerrillas," Vital Melnik, who was shot in the knees by law enforcement officers when detained. The court found him guilty under five articles of the Criminal Code, including insulting Lukashenka and an act of terrorism. The court imposed the final sentence of 16 years of imprisonment and a fine of $3,800.
• On 23 December, Mahiliou Regional Court in a closed session convicted political prisoner Tatsiana Karpovich under part 3 of article 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement of social hatred) for transferring the data of law enforcement officers, teachers and judges to the telegram channel "Black Book of Belarus". Judge Pavel Klimau sentenced the woman to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of $3,200.

Released

Last week, Maksim Latsuntsevich, Yaraslau Pashkou, Danila Hancharou, Uladzislau Bahamolnikau, and Tatsiana Yakelchyk have completed their sentences and have been released.

Other news

• The Lieninski District Court of Minsk set the trial date in the criminal case against Viasna human rights defenders – it will happen in 5 January 2022. Viasna Chairman and Nobel Peace Prize 2022 laureate Ales Bialiatski, his deputy Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign coordinator Uladzimir Labkovich are in the dock. Zmitser Salauyou, another defendant, has left Belarus and will be tried in absentia.
• Political prisoner Yury Paliukhovich will be tried in a new criminal case. He has already been tried twice for "insulting public officials". A third criminal case under Article 364 of the Criminal Code (violence or threat of violence against a police officer), article 369 (insulting a public officer) and article 391 (insulting a judge) was brought against him.
• Political prisoner Viktar Shaura is to be transferred to a high-security prison.
• Political prisoner Yury Kastsiuk was transferred to Brest pre-trial detention center to be tried for promoting extremist activities by organising financial support to political prisoners. Kastsiuk served his sentence for "desecrating state symbols" and was released on 6 January 2022. On 15 February 2022, he was arrested by the KGB and left for Russia. Later, the man was forcefully and illegally brought to Belarus.