Up to 25 years in prison: the verdict was announced in the Haidukevich case

On June 21, the Minsk City Court announced the verdict in a high-profile criminal case, among other things, for the attempted arson of Aleh Haidukevich's house in June 2021. A total of 18 defendants in the case were charged under 14 articles of the Criminal Code. Siarhei Khrypach sentenced them from two to 25 years of imprisonment. The men heard the verdict with their hands cuffed behind their backs, and the women with their hands in front of them.

There are 18 defendants in the case, of which 15 people are in custody, and three were convicted in absentia. The trial lasted four and a half months. On June 6, the oral hearings took place. Judge Siarhei Khrypach handed down the following terms:

• Vadzim Prakopyeu — 25 years in a medium security penal colony in absentia, a fine of 37 000 roubles (around 10 260 euros), deprived of all military ranks;

• Ihar Chamiakin and Dzianis Khamitsevich — 20 and 16 years of imprisonment, respectively, in absentia with serving the first five years in prison, deprived of military rank;

• Siarhei Lisouski — 20 years in a medium security penal colony with serving the first five years in prison, deprived of military rank;

• Piotr Yurkevich — 9 years in a medium security penal colony with the first five years served in prison;

• Pavel Chykhinski, Dzianis Filonchyk — 9 years in a medium security penal colony;

• Vital Vaitsiakhovich (father) — 19 years in a medium security penal colony with the first five years served in prison;

• Anastasia Vaitsiakhovich (son's wife) and Volha Vaitsiakhovich (Vital's wife) — 11 years each in a general security penal colony;

• Uladzislau Vaitsiakhovich (son) — 21 years in a medium security penal colony with serving the first five years in prison, deprived of military rank;

• Uladzimir Saviankou — 16 years in a medium security penal colony with serving the first five years in prison, deprived of military rank;

• Dzmitryi Neviarkevich — 11 years in a medium security penal colony with deprivation of the right to hold positions related to the execution of organizational and administrative and economic duties for a period of five years, a fine of 111 000 roubles; (around 30 750 euros);

• Volha Petukh — 10 years in a general security penal colony;

• Mikalai Roi — 12 years in a medium security penal colony;

• Siarhei Sakalou — 14 years in a medium security penal colony and a fine of 25 900 roubles (around 7 170 euros), deprived of military rank;

• Eduard Piastrak — 3.5 years in a medium security penal colony with deprivation of the right to hold public office with deprivation of the right to hold positions related to the execution of the functions of a representative of the authorities for a period of five years, also deprived of military rank;

• Aliaksei Mikhailau — 2 years in a medium security penal colony for "failure to report a crime." He was released in the courtroom after serving his sentence.

Prakopyeu's apartment in the city center was left under arrest. Vaitsiukhovich's wetsuit, as well as fins, a walkie-talkie, a quadrocopter, escort handcuffs, a car shovel, a Redmi phone, and other physical evidence were confiscated. The national flag of Belarus with the Chase coat of arms and stickers with white-red-white symbols, a polymer bag, a container with pucks, a Molotov cocktail, and other material evidence belonging to Roi were to be destroyed.

On December 23, 2022, the State Security Committee updated the list of "persons involved in terrorist activities." Among them there are nine defendants from this case: Vadzim Prakopyeu, Ihar Chamiakin, Dzianis Khamitsevich, Vital Vaitsiakhovich, Volha Vaitsiakhovich, Siarhei Lisouski, Volha Petukh, Uladzimir Saviankou, Siarhei Sakalou.

Allegedly, ex-restaurateur Vadzim Prakopyeu, who is now being tried in absentia, played the main role in the case. According to the prosecution, from July 14, 2020 to January 6, 2022, an organized criminal group was created and it operated on the territory of Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, and other states, "the main purpose of which was to commit an indefinite number of extremist crimes." The crimes were to be committed by persons who were radically opposed to the current government, including former and current military personnel, law enforcement officers, primarily special purpose units, hand-to-hand combat athletes, businessmen, and others who wanted to seize state power unconstitutionally. The "criminal group" included Prakopyeu himself, Vital, Anastasiya, Uladzislau and Volha Vaitsiakhovichy, Siarhei Lisouski, Mikalai Roi, Uladzimir Saviankou, Siarhei Sakalou, Piotr Yurkevich, Ihar Chamiakin, and others.

"Prakopyeu organized a conspiracy to seize state power unconstitutionally, directed the criminal activities of a group of conspirators, deliberately organized and directly carried out the search for funds, tools, and also committed other deliberate actions directly aimed at seizing state power in Belarus unconstitutionally. To this end, Prakopyeu, knowing about the upcoming presidential elections, gradually created a manageable, stable, organized criminal group with the distribution of roles and functions, planning crimes, aimed at joint, long-term criminal activity," the indictment says.

At the trial, the main person involved in the case, deputy Aleh Haidukevich made a speech as a witness (for some reason not the victim).

Depending on the role of each, defendants were charged under 14 articles of the Criminal Code:

• Parts 1 and 2 of Article 357 — conspiracy or other actions committed with the aim of seizing state power; 

• Part 1 of Article 359 — an act of terrorism against a state or public figure; 

• Parts 2 and 3 of Article 289 — an act of terrorism; 

• Article 364 — violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies; 

• Part 1 of Article 342 — organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them; 

• Part 1 of Article 295-3 — illegal actions in relation to objects, the destructive effect of which is based on the use of flammable substances; 

• Parts 1 and 3 of Article 361-1 — creation of an extremist formation or participation in it; 

• Parts 2, 3, and 4 of Article 295 — illegal actions in relation to firearms, ammunition and explosives; 

• Parts 1 and 2 of Article 333-1 — illegal movement of firearms, ammunition, explosives, as well as other types of weapons and military equipment across the state border of Belarus;

• Part 3 of Article 424 — abuse of power or official authority; 

• Part 2 of Article 406 — misprision; 

• Part 3 of Article 425 — inaction of an official; 

• Part 1 of Article 361-3 — participation in an armed formation or armed conflict, military actions on the territory of a foreign state;

• Part 2 of Article 243 — evasion of taxes and fees.