Opposition activist facing 6 years in prison on vandalism charges

Pilip Shaurou, an activist of the Young Front opposition group, has faced formal charges, according to his wife Volha.

Shaurou is accused of involvement in three criminal episodes: vandalizing two monuments and painting a political graffiti. The acts are qualified under Part 1 and Part 2 of Art. 339 of the Criminal Code.

If found guilty, the activist may be imprisoned for up to 6 years.

According to RFE/RL’s Belarus service, the total amount of damage within the three counts is estimated by the investigation at 228.93 rubles (95 USD).

The activist was not allowed to be released on his own recognizance and continues to be held in pre-trial detention.

The Young Front member was arrested on January 19 after he turned himself in to confess to staining the Pushkin monument with red paint two days earlier.