Alena Novikava has been sentenced to a year and a half of “home freedom restriction” and a thousand rubles of compensation by a judge of the Minsk district. Alena is a resident of Zhdanovichy. The girl was found guilty of insulting Deputy Interior Minister Henadz Kazakevich, writes the human rights center Viasna.
Law enforcers opened a criminal case against a resident of Zhdanovichy, Alena Novikava. The girl was accused under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (“Insulting a public officer”).
According to the investigation, on March 5, in the Telegram channel “Typical Belarus,” Alena Novikava left an insulting commentary under the material about Deputy Interior Minister Henadz Kazakevich. The girl was outraged that the official called the protesters drug addicts, alcoholics, and layabouts.
On April 27, the girl was detained. She pleaded guilty but explained that the insulting comment referred not to Kazakevich in particular but the article in general. The Deputy Minister did not appear at the trial but demanded compensation for moral damage of one thousand rubles.
As a result, Judge Anzhalika Kazlova sentenced Alena Novikava to one year and six months of restricted freedom without sending her to an open institution. Alena will be subject to compulsory employment and pay one thousand rubles of compensation to the official.
