Vital Shcherbich
sentenced to 4 years in prison
Date of birth: 28 August 1977
Date of detention: 17 November 2020
Charges indicted:
Part 1 of Article 13 and Article 293 of the Criminal Code — Preparation for mass riots
Sentence: 4 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony
Judge: Anzhela Kastsiukevich
Prosecutor: Volha Dzendzialevich
Prison: Penal colony No. 17
Vital Shcherbich is an employee of the medical laboratory INVITRO.
Shcherbich was detained on November 17, 2020. He was initially charged under Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (group actions grossly violating public order).
During a search in his apartment, the police found fireworks and airsoft ammunition, as well as nine homemade tire-flattening spikes. The entire case was based on information from a mobile operator alleging Vital’s presence near the locations of several rallies held in August and September 2020, a telephone conversation with his mother, messages in a telegram chat called “Civil Self-Defense of Belarus” and confiscated items.
Vital Shcherbich pleaded not guilty.
On April 9, 2021, Judge Anzhela Kastsiukevich of the Zavodski District Court of Minsk sentenced Vital Shcherbich to four years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty of preparing for mass riots (Part 1 of Art. 13 and Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code).