Siarhei Tsikhanouski
blogger, author of the YouTube channel "Country for Living"
Date of birth: 18 August 1978
Date of detention: 29 May 2020
Charges indicted:
Part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code — Organization of riots
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Art. 191 of the Criminal Code — Obstruction of the exercise of electoral rights
Art. 130 of the Criminal Code — Incitement to hatred
Sentence: 18 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony
Judge: Mikalai Dola
Prosecutor: Dzianis Mikushau
Prison: Pre-trial detention center No. 3
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Radoslaw Sikorski, member of the European Parliament
Siarhei Tsikhanouski is a vlogger, author of the YouTube channel "Country for Living". He was detained on May 29 during a picket organized in Hrodna to collect signatures for the nomination of his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. As a result of a series of provocative actions, Tsikhanouski and several other campaign activists were arrested by riot police.
On June 8, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, along with six other detainees, was charged under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (disturbing public order). He later faced an additional charge under Article 191 of the Criminal Code (obstructing elections).
In late November, Tsikhanouski faced a new charge after six months of his pre-trial detention expired on November 28. The vlogger is accused of “incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or hatred committed by a group of persons or, through negligence, which entailed the death of a person or other grave consequences”.
On March 11, 2021, the Investigative Committee said that it had completed the criminal investigation against Siarhei Tsikhanouski.
As a result, Tsikhanouski faced final charges under four articles of the Criminal Code:
- Part 1 of Art. 293 (organization of mass riots);
- Part 3 of Art. 130 (incitement to social hostility);
- Part 2 of Art. 191 (obstruction of the CEC);
- Part 1 of Article 342 (organization of actions that grossly violate public order).
The most severe article is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
On December 14, 2021, Siarhei Tsikhanouski was sentenced to 18 years in a maximum security prison.