Siarhei Balakhonau
sentenced to 1 year in prison
Date of birth: 14 October 1998
Date of detention: 23 August 2021
Charges indicted:
Art. 368 of the Criminal Code — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 1 year
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Date of release: 23 August 2022
Judge: Viktar Kazachak
Siarhei Balakhonau was sentenced on August 23, 2021 to one year of imprisonment in a penal colony by the Kastryčnicki District Court of Viciebsk under Part 1 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting the president.
On his personal page on the VKontakte social media site, he posted a track called “Lukashenka, Leave” by the rap performer nokrolik. At the trial, Balakhonau admitted that he had indeed published the audio, but added that he had no political enmity towards anyone at that time.
After the announcement of the verdict, Balakhonau was taken into custody. At the time of the trial, Balakhonau's wife was expecting a baby.
