What peaceful protesting is like in Belarus: Husband facing criminal charges, wife and children flee country
Herman Sniazhkou detained by riot police at a protest on September 27, 2020. Photo: tut.by
A man in Homieĺ is facing five years in prison for allegedly resisting the actions of police officers at a protest held on September 27, gomelspring.org said.
Herman Sniazhkou, a member of the Old Believers Orthodox church, is a suspect in a case under Art. 363, Part 2 of the Criminal Code after he and his wife attended a peaceful gathering in central Homieĺ. The protest was violently dispersed by riot police and several dozen protesters, including Sniazhkou and his wife, were detained. Their house was searched and police seized laptops and smartphones.
Herman was sentenced to 14 days of administrative detention and Natallia was fined. In the meanwhile, their two minor children, aged 11 and 13, were placed under custody in a social care center.
As a result, the wife and the children left Belarus, after Natallia learned that she was also named a suspect in the case.
The investigators chose not to place Herman Sniazhkou in pre-trial detention. However, he remains under travel restrictions.
