Political prisoner Vital Shcherbich sentenced to four years in prison
Judge Anzhela Kastsiukevich of the Zavodski District Court of Minsk sentenced today political prisoner Vital Shcherbich to four years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty of preparing for mass riots (Part 1 of Art. 13 and Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code).
Shcherbich was detained on November 17, 2020. During a search in his apartment, the police found fireworks and airsoft ammunition, as well as nine homemade tire-flattening spikes. The entire case was based on information from a mobile operator alleging Vital’s presence near the locations of several rallies held in August and September 2020, a telephone conversation with his mother, messages in a telegram chat called “Civil Self-Defense of Belarus” and confiscated items.
Vital Shcherbich pleaded not guilty.
The human rights community of Belarus called him a political prisoner.