Yauhen Vislavukh
sentenced to 3 1/2 years of imprisonment
Date of birth: 20 November 1984
Date of detention: 12 February 2022
Charges indicted:
Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
Art. 130 of the Criminal Code — Incitement to hatred
Art. 203-1 of the Criminal Code — Illegal actions with respect to information about private life and personal data
Sentence: 3 1/2 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Prison sentence start date: 26 March 2023
Judge: Anatol Sotnikau
Prison: Penal colony No. 1
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Yauhen Vislavukh worked as a foreman in the Mazyr branch of Gomelenergo, the electricity and heat provider based in Homieĺ. He has two young children.
On February 12, 2022, he was arrested on charges under Article 130 of the Criminal Code ('Inciting hatred') for his comment on the social network against law enforcement officers, Part 3 of Art. 203-1 ('Illegal actions in relation to personal data'), and Art. 369 ('Contempt of a public officer').
On September 19, 2022, in the Homieĺ Regional Court, Judge Anatol Sotnikau found Yauhen Vislavukh guilty and sentenced him to 3.5 years of imprisonment and a fine of 4,200 Belarusian roubles ($1,660) as compensation for non-pecuniary damage.
On December 23, 2022, the KGB added the political prisoner to the 'List of persons involved in terrorist activities'.
On January 13, 2023, the Mazyr District Court tried another case against Yauhen Vislavukh under Art. 369 of the Criminal Code ('Contempt of a public officer'). Judge Halina Knizhonak conducted the trial behind closed doors. According to human rights defenders, the political prisoner was sentenced to 20 months of imprisonment, but the final sentence remained the same.
On March 10, 2023, the Homieĺ Regional Court considered the appeal against the sentence.
