Aleh Harmazinski
IT worker, sentenced to 2 years in prison, released after serving full sentence
Former prisoner
Date of birth: 22 April 1984
Date of detention: 13 October 2021
Charges indicted:
- Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
- Art. 368 of the Criminal Code — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Prison sentence start date: 13 October 2021
Date of release: 5 June 2023
Judge: Aliaksei Krapachou
Groups: IT specialists
Aleh Harmazinski is a software engineer from Senica, Minsk region. He has a minor child.
On June 24, 2021, Harmazinski was detained for three days in the Stoŭbcy district (Minsk region) and placed in a detention center. After that, he was released on recognizance pending trial.
On October 13, 2021, Judge Aliaksei Krapachou sentenced Harmazinski to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony under Article 368 of the Criminal Code ('Contempt of the President of Belarus'). He was found guilty of posting several insulting messages on a Telegram channel, which contained negative assessments of Lukashenka. Harmazinski was taken into custody in the courtroom.
In early February 2022, it became known about the transfer of Aleh Harmazinski from prison #4 in Mahilioŭ to penal colony #17 in Škloŭ (Mahilioŭ region). In December he was transferred to remand prison # 8 in Žodzina.
On December 15, 2022, another trial of Aleh Harmazinski was held in the Stoŭbcy District Court. That time he was found guilty under Article 369 of the Criminal Code ('Contempt of a public official') and sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment and 1,000 Belarusian rubles in compensation to the "insulted" police officer. The total sentence did not change.
On June 5, 2023, the political prisoner was released, having fully served his sentence.
