Out of jail! Twelve political prisoners served their sentences in full and were released in March

The number of political prisoners in Belarus has been growing steadily for two years. Now 1498 people are recognized as political prisoners. At the same time, some have already served their terms or are released from custody being sentenced to non-custodial punishments. At least 17 political prisoners were released in March, 12 of whom served their terms in full, and five people were sentenced to home confinement and released from pre-trial detention, according to human rights defenders. Viasna recalls their cases. 

Dzmitry Tsimashenka spent two years, three months, and 15 days in jail

Dzmitry Tsimashenka from Homieĺ was convicted of “using violence against a police officer” (Article 364 of the Criminal Code). According to the prosecution, during a protest on November 15, 2020, Tsimashenka hit the arm of police officer Natallia Sinkevich, who was filming the protest. As a result, she dropped her smartphone, and it was broken. On February 19, 2021, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to two and a half years in a general-security penal colony. Besides, the defendant had to pay 1,000 Belarusian rubles (approx. $ 350) as compensation for moral damage to the injured policewoman.

The political prisoner served his time in penal colony #17 in Škloŭ, Mahilioŭ region. He fully served his sentence and was released on March 4. It is known that in February 2023, he was placed in a disciplinary cell for 20 days.

Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu spent one year, eight months, and 14 days in jail

Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu was initially serving his sentence in an open-type penal facility. On November 18, 2022, another trial was held, following which Tsimafeyeu was transferred to a penal colony for 3 months and 15 days.

Since June 2022, the political prisoner spent over 70 days in a punishment cell for far-fetched reasons. His health condition deteriorated, including severe problems with his teeth, chronic diabetes, and a hernia.

The political prisoner served jail time in penal colony No. 3 in Vićba, Viciebsk region.

Aliaksandr Kulaha spent one year, 11 months, and 27 days in jail 

Aliaksandr Kulaha from Brahin worked as a logger in the local forestry. He received 24 months of restricted freedom in an open-type penal facility over swearing at Lukashenko on August 16, 2020, in the hospital's emergency room in the presence of police and medics.

Kulaha served his term in the open-type correctional facility No. 48.

Ivan Kuziur spent 1 year 5 months and 6 days in jail

Ivan Kuziur was arrested on September 29, 2021, in Brest for publishing comments on the Internet in connection with the deaths of IT worker Andrei Zeltser and KGB agent Dzmitry Fedasiuk. On September 12, 2022, the Ivanava District Court sentenced the political prisoner to 24 months of imprisonment and a fine of 3,200 Belarusian rubles ($1,300).

Kuziur served his jail time in penal colony No. 1 in Navapolack.

Mark Vasilkou spent one year, four months, and seven days in jail

Mark Vasilkou was arrested on November 5, 2021, in Žlobin (Homieĺ region) as a defendant in a criminal case of group actions grossly disrupting public order (Article 342 of the Criminal Code). On January 17, 2022, the court sentenced him to 18 months of restricted freedom in an open-type penal facility.

Vasilkou served his sentence in open-type penal facility No. 24 in Vaŭkavysk, Hrodna region since February 11, 2022.

Maksim Tsishkevich spent one year and ten months in jail 

Maksim Tsishkevich was detained in Minsk on April 21, 2021, as part of criminal proceedings for “group actions that grossly violate public order” (Article 342 of the Criminal Code). According to the prosecution, on the night of August 9, 2020, Tsishkevich joined other protesters in central Minsk, where he walked on the roadway, shouted slogans, clapped his hands loudly, waved his arms, and showed offensive signs to police officers.

On August 16, 2021, Judge Dzmitryi Karsiuk of the Centraĺny District of Minsk sentenced him to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.

The political prisoner served his term in penal colony No. 3 in Viciebsk. 

Dzianis Maksimau spent one year, five months, and 10 days in prison

Dzianis Maksimau received 24 months of imprisonment for posting comments concerning the deaths of the IT worker Andrei Zeltser and the KGB agent Dzmitry Fedasiuk. The judge also ordered a fine of 6,400 Belarusian rubles ($2,530).

In November 2022, the KGB added Maksimau to the list of persons involved in terrorist activities.

He served his term in Babrujsk penal colony No. 2.

Maksim Pliatniou spent nine months and 13 days in jail

Maksim Pliatniou was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment for “desecrating buildings and bringing property damage” (Article 341 of the Criminal Code).

The resident of Hrodna was accused of spraying seven pieces of graffiti on a kiosk, infrastructure facilities, and apartment buildings.

In November 2022, the political prisoner was transferred from Prison No. 1 in Hrodna to Penal Colony No. 15 in Mahilioŭ, where he finished serving his time.

Raman Ahnishchanka spent one year, five months, and nine days in jail

Raman Ahnishchanka was arrested in Brest for publishing comments on the Internet in connection with the deaths of IT worker Andrei Zeltser and KGB agent Dzmitry Fedasiuk. It is known that shortly before his arrest, Ahnishchanka got married.

Judge Maryia Aliferuk sentenced him to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony and fined him 3,200 Belarusian rubles ($1,260) on September 28, 2022.

Piotr Kanstantsinau spent one year, nine months, and 16 days in jail 

Piotr Kanstantsinau is an activist from Žlobin. He was arrested in early June 2021. He was accused of participating in protests in August 2020. On August 6, 2021, Kanstantsinau was sentenced by the Žlobin District Court to 24 months in a general-security penal colony on charges of “organizing or active participation in group actions that gravely breach public order” (Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code).

The political prisoner was serving his term in Barysaŭ colony No. 14.

Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh spent two years, three months, and eight days in jail 

Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh, 70, is a veteran opposition activist based in Homieĺ. He was detained on December 25, 2020.

He was charged with insulting Assistant Prosecutor Alesia Zhurauskaya during another political trial of Heorhi Vasilenka on November 26, 2020. After the verdict was pronounced, Niapomniashchykh reportedly said, “Organized criminal group”. Uladzimir Niapomniaszych pleaded not guilty, stressing that the phrase was related to the announced criminal verdict.

On April 7, 2021, Judge Aliaksandr Mokharau of the Saviecki District Court of Homieĺ sentenced Niapomniashchykh to two years and six months in a general-security penal colony. The political prisoner served his term in Mahilioŭ colony No. 15.

Yuliya Chamlai spent one year and six months in jail

Yuliya Chamlai was detained in Krupki for publishing comments on the Internet in connection with the deaths of IT worker Andrei Zeltser and KGB agent Dzmitry Fedasiuk. Before her arrest, she worked as a librarian and was raising her son. On July 18, 2022, the Minsk Regional Court sentenced Chamlai to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. She was convicted of “inciting social hatred” (Article 130 of the Criminal Code) and “insulting” Aliaksandr Lukashenka (Article 368 of the Criminal Code).

On June 20, 2022, the KGB added the political prisoner to the list of persons involved in terrorist activities.

Yuliya Chamlai served her time in Homieĺ women colony No. 4 from October 2022.

Three political prisoners got non-custodial terms and were released in the courtroom   

In March, the courts in Belarus overwhelmingly sentenced political prisoners to imprisonment. Only five people were released from pre-trial detention facilities after the trials being sentenced to restricted freedom under home confinement (the number may be an underestimate, as human rights defenders do not yet have all the results of the trials of political prisoners): They are:

• Liudmila Bazhok, 63,—sentenced to 24 months of home confinement
• Dzmitryi Karakin, musician,—sentenced to 30 months of home confinement
• Uladzimir Karakin, musician—sentenced to 30 months of home confinement
• Volha Kraiko, Dzmitryi and Uladzimir Karakin’s mother—sentenced to 30 months of home confinement
• Maksim Puchynski, cycling activist—sentenced to 30 months of home confinement