Vital Chopik
Prisoner
Date of birth: 17 July 1983
Date of detention: 12 March 2024
Charges indicted:
- Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
- Art. 361-4 of the Criminal Code — Promoting extremist activities
Sentence: 7 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Judge: Yauhen Brehan
Prosecutor: Henadz Bury
Prison: Pre-trial detention center No. 7
Vital Chopik, a resident of Brest, attended politically motivated court sessions.
As reported by BelTA, he recorded the proceedings and outcomes of the trials, as well as information about witnesses and law enforcement representatives.
In September 2022, Chopik was detained under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code. However, it was later found that he did not have a phone containing any 'extremist materials,' and as a result, a new report was made under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code. The report states that the white-red-white flag was affixed to the window of his house. However, Chopik himself claims that the flag appeared after he was detained and taken to the temporary detention center.
In early March 2024, a citizen of Brest was detained again. According to Brestskaya Viasna, the man was taken to the hospital by ambulance with signs of severe beating, and Chopik's face had turned yellow, which may indicate liver damage.
On March 12, an administrative court was held under Article 24.3 of the CAO due to an alleged disobedience of police demands. The court decision stated that Chopik claimed to have opened the door for GUBOP within 1 minute for the search, while the police officer claimed to have loudly demanded the door to be opened for 20 minutes. The search was conducted within the framework of a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (creation and leadership of an organization that commits crimes).
