Vital Chychmarou
trade union activist, sentenced to 3 years under home confinement
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: 3 years
Penalty: restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
Judge: Zhanna Khvainitskaya
Groups: Activists, Priests and religious people
Cases: Protests in Minsk
Vital Chychmarou is a pastor and a former engineer. He was fired in 2020 because of his trade union activities. At his plant, he used to lead the primary organization of Free Trade Union of Metalworkers (FTUM).
Vital was detained on April 19, 2022, and his home was searched. The man was charged and placed in pre-trial detention center.
On November 11, 2022, the Zavadski District Court found Chychmarou guilty of ‘organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order or active participation in them’ under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to three years of freedom restriction under home confinement.
