Seasoned surgeon sentenced to five years in jail

A well-known surgeon, political prisoner Andrei Liubetski, has been sentenced in Minsk City Court. Judge Sviatlana Charapanava pronounced the verdict: five years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. Thus, the court granted the prosecutor's Zhana Baranava request. 

Liubetski, a seasoned maxillofacial surgeon who had worked at a children's hospital in Minsk for 18 years, and a volunteer who assisted prisoners leaving the infamous Akrescina detention center, was arrested on May 4, 2021. The Investigative Committee classified Liubetski's actions under four articles of the Criminal Code:

• Article 342 — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order or active participation in them;
• Article 130 — Incitement to hatred;
• Article 369 — Insulting a government official;
• Part 1 and 2 of Article 368 — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus.

According to the investigation, the surgeon “publicly expressed his decision to violate the medical oath he had taken... and in every possible way prevent providing health care to police officers and their family members, and urged his colleagues to take similar unlawful actions”. He was also accused of participating in eight protest actions (on September 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, and 30, along with October 4 and 25, 2020) and writing posts on social networks, which were qualified as insults and incitement to hatred.

 “A lot of people could benefit from my experience, knowledge, and skills if I were released and continued practicing what I've been doing for 23 years.[I have] an extremely rare specialization, and in Belarus specialists of my level can be counted on the fingers of one, maximum two hands,” the surgeon said in his last word.“As for dental implantation, I have reached quite a high level in this field as well. I'm just stating the facts, and the fact is that people from all over Belarus and also from abroad came [to me] for treatment. Also, people from other countries who were refused treatment because of their complicated situations or have been specifically recommended to consult me contacted me.”