Dzmitry Paliyenka facing triple charge

Former political prisoner Dzmitry Paliyenka, who was arrested on March 20 on suspicion of committing a crime under Part 3, Art. 339 of the Criminal Code (especially malicious hooliganism), has been eventually formally charged, according to the activist’s friend Maryna Kasinerava.

Paliyenka was additionally charged under Art. 341 (desecration of buildings or other structures with cynical words or pictures, damage of property on public transport or in other public places), as well as Part 1, Art. 130 (incitement to racial, nationality or religious hostility or discord; deliberate action aimed at inciting racial, ethnic and religious hostility or discord, degrading national honor and dignity).

All of the charges are consolidated into one case file run by the Zavodski district department of the Investigative Committee.

According to Yuliya Hancharova, spokesperson of the Investigative Committee, Paliyenka is still in custody awaiting decision on his pre-trial restrictions to be selected in the coming days.

“The accused has been assigned to a forensic psychological and psychiatric examination,” the Investigative Committee said.

According to human rights defenders, the activist has been transferred from the detention center in Žodzina to jail No. 1 in Minsk.