Aliaksei Sanchuk
sentenced to 6 years in prison
Political prisoner
Date of birth: 18 July 1990
Date of detention: 4 November 2020
Charges indicted:
- Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code — Participation in riots
- Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Sentence: 6 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony
Judge: Tatsiana Pirozhnikava
Prosecutor: Yauhen Serakou
Prison: Penal colony No. 17
Groups: Cultural workers
Cases: Protests in Minsk
Aliaksei Sanchuk was detained on November 4, 2020, in Minsk together with at least 10 other musicians who played drums during post-election protests as part of a marching percussion band. When detained, Aliaksei was beaten and forced to unlock the screen of his smartphone. After that, the guy was sentenced to 15 days for allegedly participating in an unauthorized rally, but was never released.
On October 26, he was charged under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them).
On May 13, 2021, Judge Tatsiana Pirozhnikava of the Maskoŭski District Court of Minsk sentenced Sanchuk to six years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty under Part 1 and 2 of Art. 342 (organization or preparation of actions, and active participation in actions that grossly violate public order), Part 3 of Art. 293 (training or other preparation of persons for participation in mass riots) and Art. 13 Part. 2 of Art. 293 (preparation for participation in riots).
