Viachaslau Maliaichuk
sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment
Prisoner
Date of birth: 27 March 1985
Date of detention: 26 March 2021
Charges indicted:
- Art. 295 of the Criminal Code — Unlawful acts against firearms, ammunition and explosives
- Art. 295-3 of the Criminal Code — Illegal actions in relation to objects which action is based on use of combustible substances
- Art. 411 — Malicious disobedience to the demands of administration of the correctional institution
Sentence: 25 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony
Judge: Uladzimir Areshka, Mikalai Siarheika, Alena Verabyova, Anatol Strelchanka
Prison: Penal colony No. 20
Cases: Protests in Minsk
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Viachaslau Maliaichuk is a 37-year-old excavator operator from Pinsk region. He was convicted under Part 1 of Article 14 and Part 1 of Article 289, Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 3 of Article 289 ('Preparation and attempt to act of terrorism'), Part 3 and Part 4 of Article 295 ('Illegal actions concerning explosives'), Part 1 of Article 295-3 ('Illegal actions concerning objects, the damaging effect of which is based on the use of combustible substances').
On March 26, 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that they had prevented terrorist attacks in Minsk and in the military unit in Piečy, Minsk region. In the 'penitential' video, Viachaslau Maliaichuk said that he had received the order "from someone from BYPOL".
After his arrest, the KGB put Viachaslau Maleichuk and the other defendants in the case on the 'List of persons involved in terrorist activities'.
On May 30, 2022, the panel of judges chaired by Judge Uladzimir Areshka sentenced Viachaslau Maleichuk to 22 years in high-security penal colony. The trial lasted three weeks behind closed doors.
Maleichuk was kept in the KGB pre-trial detention center. He is serving his sentence in penal colony #11 in Vaŭkavysk, Hrodna region.
A new case was initiated against Maleichuk under Art. 411 of the Criminal Code for "malicious disobedience to the requirements of the penal colony administration". Judge Mikalai Siarheika considered the case on February 10, 2023 in the Vaŭkavysk District Court. The Judge found Maleichuk guilty and sentenced him to one year of imprisonment. Maliaichuk was sent to penal colony No. 9 in Horki, known for its strict regime.
A new trial, already under Part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code, was held on August 23, 2023 in a mobile session of the Court of Horki District directly in the penal colony. Viachaslau did not admit his guilt in committing the crime. He refused to testify. Judge Alena Verabyova added two more years of imprisonment to the total term.
Taking into account already served and new trials, the total term of Viachaslau’s punishment for today is 25 years.
