Mikalai Khatsianovich
sentenced to 4 years of freedom restriction
Date of birth: 2 February 1969
Date of detention: 5 January 2023
Charges indicted:
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Art. 367 of the Criminal Code — Slander against the President of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 4 years
Penalty: restricted freedom in an open penal facility ("khimiya")
Judge: Marharyta Lantsevich
Prison: Released awaiting the commencement of the sentence
Mikalai Khatsianovich is a mediator from Hrodna and the head of the Practical Mediation School. The Center for Mediation and Negotiations (Minsk) recognized him as the Best Mediator of the Year twice, in 2016 and 2017.
Khatsianovich specializes in mediation in construction and real estate, in consumer, commercial, and corporate disputes, as well as in family mediation.
In the "penitential" video, Khatsianovich admits that in 2020, he participated in the rallies in Minsk, commented on police officers and their families, and subscribed to "extremist" Telegram channels. Charges were filed against him under Article 130 of the Criminal Code ('Inciting enmity or hatred').
His trial began on June 14, 2023, in the Kastryčnicki District Court of Hrodna. Article 130 of the Criminal Code was changed for Part 1 of Article 342 ('Organization and preparation of actions grossly disrupting public order or active participation in them') and Part 2 of Article 367 ('Defamation against the president of Belarus') of the Criminal Code.
On July 5, 2023, Judge Marharyta Lantsevich sentenced the political prisoner to 4 years of freedom restriction with a referral to an open-type penal facility.
Mikalai Khatsianovich was released from custody (from Prison #1 in Hrodna) until being sent to a penitentiary to serve his sentence.
