Zmitser Dashkevich
political activist, Young Front leader
Prisoner
Date of birth: 20 July 1981
Date of detention: 23 March 2022
Charges indicted:
- Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
- Art. 411 — Malicious disobedience to the demands of administration of the correctional institution
Sentence: 3 years and 9 months
Penalty: imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony
Judge: Tatsiana Pirozhnikava, Tatsiana Dzeravianka, Anastasiya Kulik
Prosecutor: Yeliskevich
Groups: Activists, Businessmen, Priests and religious people
Zmitser Dashkevich is a political activist and a leader of the Malady Front (Young Front) Belarusian youth movement. He has been active in public and political life since 2001.
Dashkevich was arrested on April 23, 2022, after a search of his apartment. At first, he was arrested for 15 days under administrative charges. Later, he was re-arrested as a defendant in a criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code ('Organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order or active participation in them') for his participation in the protests on August 23, 2020. The same charges were brought against his wife Nasts Dashkevich. Zmitser Dashkevich was transferred to a pre-trial detention center.
On July 14, 2022, in the Maskoŭski District Court of Minsk, Judge Tatsiana Pirozhnikava found Zmitser Dashkevich and Nasta Dashkevich guilty. She sentenced Zmitser Dashkevich to 18 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony, and Nasta Dashkevich, who had recently given birth to the family's fourth child, to three years of restricted freedom under home confinement.
In early October 2022, Zmitser Dashkevich was transferred to Penal Colony #14 in Navasady (Minsk region), where he was immediately placed in a punishment cell.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs included the political prisoner in their 'List of extremists'.
On July 11, 2023, the political prisoner was to be released. Instead, new criminal proceedings were started against him under Article 411 of the Criminal Code ('Willful disobeying requirements of penitentiary administration'). He was transferred to Remand Prison #8 in Žodzina (Minsk region).
On July 28, 2023, the Barysaŭ District Court (Minsk region) heard the complaint filed by Dashkevich's lawyer against the decision to remand Dashkevich in custody. Most likely, Judge Tatsiana Shyman dismissed the complaint.
On October 11, 2023, the activist was tried again under Article 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration). On October 18, Judge Tatsiana Dzeravianka sentenced the political prisoner to another year in the high security penal colony .
Dzmitry was held in a punishment cell in Zhodzina prison for six months.
In January 2024 the political prisoner was again transferred to the penal colony № 14. In the colony he was placed in a SHIZO, where it is terribly cold. During the night, Dzmitry has to get up up to eight times to do exercises and somehow warm up.
At the end of May 2024 it became known that a new criminal case had been opened against Dzmitry - he was accused of "malicious disobedience to the colony administration" (Part 1, Article 411 of the Criminal Code).
A new case has been opened against the political prisoner, he is accused under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order). The trial began on July 17, 2024. The case is being considered by Anastasiya Kulik.
Dashkevich family convicted
Zmitser Dashkevich was recognized as a political prisoner before: in 2006 and 2011. In 2006, Amnesty International declared him a prisoner of conscience.
