Stsiapan Latypau
arborist, entrepreneur, sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison
Date of birth: 11 April 1980
Date of detention: 15 September 2020
Charges indicted:
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Art. 363 of the Criminal Code — Resistance to a police officer or other person guarding public order
Part 4 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code — Fraud committed by an organized group or on a large scale
Sentence: 8 1/2 years, fine of 8,700 rubles
Penalty: imprisonment in a high security prison
Judge: Aliaksandr Volk
Prosecutor: Uladzimir Rabau
Prison: Prison No. 4
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Lord Foulkes, member of the British House of Lords
Stsiapan Latypau is an arborist and director of the Belarbo company, a resident of a condominium near the so-called "Square of Change" in Minsk.
He was detained by riot police on September 15, 2020 outside his apartment building. His apartment was searched.
It was later reported that Stsiapan Latypau was detained as a suspect in a criminal case under Art. 293 of the Criminal Code (mass riots). On September 19, several government-controlled TV channels aired a story alleging that Latypau was suspected of organizing an illegal supply of dangerous chemicals and intended to use the poisonous substances against police officers.
On June 1, 2021, the first day of the trial, Latypau attempted to commit suicide by stabbing his neck with a pen. After a suregry, he was put on mechanical ventilation. Despite this, the following day, the detainee was transferred from the hospital back to pre-trial detention center No. 1.
On August 16, 2021, the Saviecki District Court of Minsk found Latypau guilty under three articles of the Criminal Code: Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 342, Part 2 of Art. 363, and Part 4 of Art. 209.
He was sentenced to eight and a half years in a medium-security penal colony and a fine of 8,700 rubles (USD 3,500).
In February 2022, the prisoner was placed in SHIZO for 27 days.
Later, around the middle of May 2022, the prisoner was transferred to a cell-type facility where he remained for five months. It has been reported that Latypau attempted self-harm in protest against the administration's pressure.
On September 15, 2022, a trial was held at the Ivaсevičy District Court to review the punishment of a political prisoner. The colony administration requested that Stsiapan be transferred to prison for three years, but Judge Aliaksandr Kirilovich decided to transfer him to a prison regime for two years. In late September, the political prisoner was transferred from Penal Colony No. 22 to Mahilioŭ Prison No. 4.
The political prisoner fell ill with scurvy in prison. Scurvy is a disease caused by lack of vitamin C.
