Siarhei Kastsiukevich
sentenced to 3 years of restricted freedom
Date of birth: 1 November 1981
Date of detention: 30 December 2020
Charges indicted:
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Sentence: 3 years
Penalty: restricted freedom in an open penal facility ("khimiya")
Prison sentence start date: 13 June 2021
Judge: Volha Niaborskaya
Prosecutor: Zavadzich
Prison: Open correctional facility No. 29
Siarhei Kastsiukevich is creative director at an advertising agency called Salmon Graphics.
Kastsiukevich was charged under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order) for participating in a weekly Sunday march on September 6, 2020.
According to the Investigative Committee, Kastsiukevich “disturbed public peace” in the center of Minsk, "led the street procession, being one of the first to walk on the road”. He was accused of blocking transport routes and disrupting public transport.
Kastsiukevich admitted his guilt in part. He admitted that he walked on the road, but moved in the middle of a crowd. He noted that he joined the rally to protest disproportionate violence.
On February 17, 2021, Judge Volha Niaborskaya sentenced him to three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional institution ("khimiya"). From December 30 until the trial, Kastsiukevich was in custody. After the verdict was announced, he was released but was prohibited to leave the country.
On June 13, he began to serve his sentence in open correctional institution No. 29.
