Journalist and human rights activist Uladzimir Khilmanovich sentenced in absentia
On August 19, the Hrodna Regional Court announced the verdict in absentia of journalist and human rights activist Uladzimir Khilmanovich. He was charged under two articles of the Criminal Code: Part 3 of Article 361-1 (creation of an extremist formation or participation in it) and Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 (assistance to extremist activities). It is possible that a blog of the journalist was the reason for the persecution. Judge Ihar Sobaleu sentenced the human rights defender to five years in a medium security penal colony. The activist was also sentenced to pay a fine in the amount of 40,000 rubles (more than 11,300 euros), and in case of non-payment, some of his property, including his apartment in Hrodna and his village house, will be confiscated.
Uladzimir Khilmanovich has not lived in Belarus for more than three years. The criminal case against him was initiated in November 2023. All the journalist's assets has been frozen.
The journalist was found guilty of "otherwise facilitating extremist activities" and, on the basis of Part 1 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code, was sentenced to two years of imprisonment. He was also found guilty of "other repeated assistance to extremist activities", and on the basis of Part 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment with a fine of 24,000 rubles (more than 6,700 euros). He was also found guilty of "joining an extremist formation in order to commit an extremist crime (participation in an extremist formation)" and on the basis of Part 3 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment with a fine of 20,000 rubles (more than 5,600 euros).
By partially adding up the punishments, the final punishment was imprisonment for a period of five years in a medium security penal colony with a fine of 40,000 rubles (more than 11,300 euros).
The verdict in absentia, published on the website of the Supreme Court, states that his assets should stay frozen to be claimed in the case of non-payment on a voluntary basis. This is an apartment in Hrodna and a building in the Mastoŭski district, as well as a TV, a washing machine, cash in the amount of about 100 EUR.
Among the physical evidence in the case are "screenshots of a blog with articles by Uladzimir Khilmanovich and a comment", which are to be stored with the materials of the criminal case. Probably, it was the reason for the conviction of the journalist.
