Siarhei Antusevich
trade union activist; sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment
Former prisoner
Date of detention: 19 April 2022
Charges indicted:
- Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Sentence: 2 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Prison sentence start date: 24 March 2023
Date of release: 31 October 2023
Judge: Valiantsina Ziankevich
Groups: Activists
Cases: The case of labor unions
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Mickaël Vallet, Member of the French Senate
Siarhei Antusevich is a deputy Chairperson of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU). For a long time, almost 10 years, he led the Hrodna Azot independent trade union.
He was arrested on April 19, 2022, and taken to the KGB pre-trial detention center. On the same day, searches were conducted in the office of the BCDTU and in his apartment. According to the preliminary information, he was charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code ('group actions that grossly violate public order').
On December 20, 2022, the City Court of Minsk began the trial. On December 26, the verdict was passed: Antusevich was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a general regime colony. This is the very punishment the prosecution asked for.
On April 21, 2023, Siarhei was added to the "list of extremists".
On October 31, 2023, Siarhei was released from prison, having served his sentence in full.
