Political Prisoner From Minsk Sentenced To Six Years In Prison And Huge Fine

The case was considered by Judge Viktoryja Shabunia.

On November 28, the Central District Court of Minsk completed the trial on the criminal case of 36-year-old Minsker Mikhail Tarasevich, the human rights center Viasna reports.

The case was considered by Judge Viktoryja Shabunia.

Mikhail Tarasevich was allegedly detained on August 30, 2022, until the trial he was held in the pre-trial detention center #1 in Minsk. The political prisoner was charged under six articles of the Criminal Code:

— Article 391 “insulting a judge or a people's assessor”;

— Article 369 “insulting a representative of authority”;

— Part 1 of Article 368 “insulting Lukashenka”;

— Part 1 of Article 366 “violence or threat of violence against an official performing official duties”;

— Article 364 “violence or the threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies”;

— Part 2 of Article 366 “violence or threat of violence against an official performing official duties committed repeatedly.”

The trial began on November 22 and ended with a guilty verdict: on the basis of the totality of the charges, Judge Viktoryja Shabunia finally sentenced Tarasevich to a six-year prison term in a colony under a reinforced regime.

He must also pay “compensation for moral damages” to “victims” and “damage caused by a public transport suspension” in the amount of 49,000 rubles, which is almost 20,000 dollars.