A Homiel court recently sentenced political prisoners Stanislau Machalau and Zmitser Hryshchanka to three years in jail. The judge found them guilty under Part 1 Article 342 of the Criminal Code (“Organization and preparation of actions, seriously violating public order, or active participation in them”), and Machalau was also convicted under Article 364 of the Criminal Code (“Violence or threat of violence against an employee of the Interior”), reports the human rights center “Viasna”.
Police accused Stanislau Machalau and Dzmitry Hryshchanka of taking part in mass protests on September 20, 2020. In addition, according to them, Stanislau “felt embittered towards the police officers and used threats of violence”. According to the investigation, Machalau was in a hitch and made threatening movements towards the policeman, and in relation to the other one, he committed violent actions by pressing with his body and holding his hands.
Judge Viktar Kazachok found the political prisoners guilty and sentenced them to 3 years of imprisonment in a general regime colony.
