Sergei Tikhanovsky sentenced to 18 years in prison | Major political events in Belarus: assessments, forecasts, comments

The Gomel Regional Court sentenced blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, recognized as political prisoners by human rights activists, to 18 years in prison in a maximum security colony. The verdict was announced on Tuesday, December 14, on the territory of the remand prison (SIZO) No. 3 in Gomel, where Tikhanovsky is being held. The wife of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition and ex-presidential candidate, was charged under four articles.

Sergei Tikhanovsky: “I consider the accusations politically motivated”

Lawyer Natalya Matskevich, who was suspended from work on October 13 and later deprived of her lawyer’s license, said that even in the pre-trial detention center her client remained “firm in his position.” In an interview with Deutsche Wеlle from the isolation ward, Sergei Tikhanovsky noted that he categorically rejects all accusations against him: “I consider them far-fetched and politically motivated.”

The court also passed sentences to the rest of the persons involved in the “Tikhanovsky case”. Their terms of imprisonment will be: Nikolai Statkevich – 14 years, Igor Losik – 15 years, Artem Sakov – 16 years, Vladimir Tsyganovich – 15 years, Dmitry Popov – 16 years.

The process took place behind closed doors “in order to ensure the safety of the participants in the process and to protect the secrets protected by law.” Before the start of the trial, the investigators took a nondisclosure agreement from the defenders, forbidding them to disclose even the articles of the charges brought against the defendants.

From May 2020 – in preliminary detention

Sergei Tikhanovsky, famous for his Telegram channel “Country for Life”, in May 2020 announced his desire to run for president of the country in the elections on August 9, but was not registered. Instead, his wife Svetlana became a contender. Tikhanovsky was detained on May 29, 2020 in Grodno at a picket held in support of the nomination of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as a presidential candidate. Since then, he has been in pre-trial detention. The trial in his case began on June 24, 2021.

Officially, the blogger was accused under the following articles of the criminal code – “organizing mass riots” (Article 293), “organizing or preparing actions that grossly violate public order” (Article 342), “inciting social hatred” (Article 130) and “obstructing work of the CEC “(Article 191). According to investigators, the activist had been preparing and organizing street riots in Belarus for about a year.

In mid-July, Tikhanovsky’s Telegram channel “Country for Life” was added to the list of extremist materials in Belarus.

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Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Record for political prisoners in Belarus
Over 900 – such a record number of political prisoners in the history of the country is quoted by the human rights center “Viasna”. Among those who ended up in prison due to political persecution are presidential campaign participants, volunteers of their headquarters, public activists, businessmen, bloggers and journalists, human rights activists, political analysts, workers, students and many other critics of the Lukashenka regime.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Victor and Edward Babariko
A presidential contender, ex-head of Belgazprombank Viktor Babariko could become Lukashenka’s strongest rival in the elections. He was detained along with his son Eduard, who led his initiative group, in June 2020 on charges of money laundering, bribery and tax evasion. On July 6, 2021, Viktor Babariko was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Maria Kolesnikova
Musician and art director Maria Kolesnikova headed the election headquarters of Viktor Babariko. Then she became one of the “three graces” who headed the Joint Headquarters of the opposition. Member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council. She was kidnapped and brought to the border with Ukraine for expulsion from the country. But she tore up my passport and thwarted this operation. In September 2021, she was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
To jail – for legal aid
Lawyer of Viktor Babariko’s headquarters, member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council Maxim Znak (pictured) and lawyer of Maria Kolesnikova Ilya Salei were detained in September 2020 in the case of public calls to action to the detriment of national security. Ilya Salei was released on bail in April. Maxim Znak became a defendant in a criminal case on the seizure of power. In September 2021, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Sergei Tikhanovsky
The author of the popular YouTube channel “Country for Life” Sergei Tikhanovsky wanted to run for the presidency of the Republic of Belarus, but before the start of the election campaign he was detained, after which his wife Svetlana put forward her candidacy. When he was released after administrative arrest, he helped collect signatures for her, but in May 2020 he was arrested. In June 2021, the trial began behind closed doors.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Country for Life activists
Within the framework of the “Country for Life” project, Tikhanovsky traveled to the regions of Belarus and gave an opportunity to local residents to tell about their problems. About 30 persons involved in the “Tikhanovsky case” have already been convicted. Together with Tikhanovsky in the dock – opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich, operator of “Country for Life” Artem Sakov, social media moderator Dmitry Popov, bloggers Vladimir Tsyganovich and Igor Losik.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Igor Losik
The founder of the telegram channel “Belarus of the Brain” Igor Losik actively covered the events around the election campaign of the President of Belarus. Detained in June 2020. He was accused of organizing and preparing actions to the detriment of public order. Then – in “preparation for participation in mass riots.” He went on a hunger strike in protest for over 40 days.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Bloggers behind bars
Other bloggers have already been sentenced. Sergei Petrukhin (pictured) and Alexander Kabanov (“People’s Reporter”) received 3 years in prison. Sergei Korshun and Sergei Yaroshevich (“Army with the People”) – 4.5 and 5.5 years old. Vladimir Neronsky (“Slutsk for Life”) – 3 years old, Dmitry Kozlov (“Gray Cat”) – 5 years old, Denis Gutin (“Drivers-97”) – 2.5 years old. Since June, the trial of Nikolai Dedok has been underway. Eduard Palchis remains on guard.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Leaders of the “old” opposition
Co-founder of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Sevyarynets (pictured) was detained in June 2020 after pickets to collect signatures for nominating presidential candidates. Later he was given 7 years in prison. Nikolai Statkevich is another well-known opposition figure, presidential candidate in 2010. Detained in May on the way to the pre-election picket of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and is still in custody.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Human rights defenders targeted by the authorities
Human rights defenders were also persecuted by the Belarusian authorities. Employees of the Viasna human rights center are in custody, including its head Ales Bialiatski (pictured) and deputy Valentin Stefanovich. The well-known human rights activist Leonid Sudalenko is accused of financing activities that violate public order. He paid fines to people detained for participating in protests.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Independent media staff
Media manager Andrei Alexandrov (pictured) was detained on suspicion of financing the protests. He paid the protesters’ fines. More than 20 media representatives are now in custody, including the Tut.by portal and the Nasha Niva publication. Employees of the “Press Club” spent 8 months in the pre-trial detention center. Since December 2020, ex-BT journalist Ksenia Lutskina, who is experiencing serious health problems, remains in custody.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Katerina Borisevich
Journalists also fell victim to political repression. Katerina Borisevich (Tut.by portal) spent 6 months in prison. In her article, she wrote that there was no alcohol in the blood of Roman Bondarenko, who died after being beaten by Lukashenka’s supporters, contrary to the claims of the authorities. This information was given to her by the doctor of the emergency hospital Artem Sorokin, now also a political prisoner.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Katerina Andreeva and Daria Chultsova
Journalists from the Polish TV channel Belsat Katerina Andreeva and Darya Chultsova were streaming during the brutal dispersal of the protesters by the security forces in the Minsk courtyard, known as “Change Square” – and received two years in prison. They were accused of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Student activists
Students were expelled or subjected to administrative arrests for protests. And 12 defendants in the “student case”, including Olga Filatchenkova, a traitor to BSUIR, and Alana Gebremariam, a medical university graduate (pictured), were accused of “active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order” and were imprisoned for a term of 2 to 2.5 years.

Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Disproportionate response to protesters
Several dozen political prisoners are accused of participating in mass riots or using violence against police officers. According to human rights activists, peaceful protests did not pose a threat to national or public security. Certain cases of violence against the police require a separate legal qualification – in the context of self-defense against disproportionate actions of the security forces.
Author: Yanina Moroz