Ten political prisoners convicted in Telegram chats case
Judge Dzmitry Astapenka sentenced today ten political prisoners to five to nine years in prison, finding them guilty under Art. 293 (rioting), Art. 218 (deliberate destruction or damage to private property) and Art. 295 of the Criminal Code (illegal actions with firearms, ammunition and explosives).
Five years in a medium-security penal colony were imposed on:
(under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 2 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code)
23-year-old optician Artsiom Kasakouski
37-year-old Dzmitry Lastouski
31-year-old Dzmitry Zheburtovich
Eight years in a medium-security penal colony were imposed on:
(by partial addition of punishments: under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 2 of Article 293 of the Criminal code, the prosecutor requested five years, and under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 3 of Article 218 – seven years)
40-year-old construction worker Pavel Niadbaila
33-year-old architect and designer Rastsislau Stefanovich
26-year-old welder Yauhen Prapolski
23-year-old Aliaksandr Reznik
48-year-old system administrator Siarhei Plonis
20-year-old Artsiom Mitsuk
Aliaksandr Yurchyk (not a political prisoner)
Nine years in a medium-security penal colony were imposed on:
(by partial addition of punishments: under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 2 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code, the prosecutor requested five years, under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 3 of Article 218 of the Criminal Code – seven years, and under Part 2 of Article 295 of the Criminal Code – five years without a fine):
38-year-old military engineer and sales manager Yury Bialko
These exact sentences were earlier requested by Aliaksandr Ramanovich, senior assistant prosecutor of the Leninski district of Minsk.
Several political prisoners reported torture during arrest or being forced to sign confessions.
All of them were accused of participating in several “radical” Telegram chats. The case file mentioned “OGSB” (Civil Self-Defense Detachment) and “Podrabotka Minsk” (Side Jobs in Minsk), among others. In addition, they allegedly intended to damage or destroy three tobacco shops.
