Convicted of discrediting Belarus in the absence of evidence of police officer insult: another sentence in Zeltzer case

Vital Ivaniukovich, a resident of Kamianiec, was detained almost a year ago for his comment on a video of a shooting between KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk and IT specialist Andrei Zeltser. At first, he was accused of insulting a police officer and inciting enmity, but later the case was reclassified and he was charged with ‘discrediting Belarus’  under Article 369-1 of the Criminal Code. On July 28, the Žabinka District Court sentenced the political prisoner to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.

Vital Ivaniukovich, 33, was arrested on September 29, 2021, in a criminal case that was brought based on comments on the Internet after the death of KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk and IT specialist Andrei Zeltser. The man was charged with ‘insulting a government official’ and ‘inciting social hatred’ under Articles 369 and 130 of the Criminal Code.  But the investigation found no evidence to support the charges, and Vital was finally accused of ‘discrediting Belarus’ under Article 369-1 of the Criminal Code.

It is known that Ivaniukovich was tried for his comment on a video of a shooting between KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk and IT specialist Andrei Zeltser, with no details about the content of the comment. The political prisoner has been held behind bars for more than ten months.

Vital's case was heard in the Žabinka District Court on July 19. On July 28, Judge Viktar Novik found Ivaniukovich guilty of ‘discrediting Belarus’ and sentenced him to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.