Another charge was brought against popular Belarusian Youtuber Uladzimir Tsyhanovich aka MozgON, human rights centre Viasna reports.
The political prisoner managed to hand over a letter, in which he said he faced an accusation under Article 293-2 (‘preparation for participation in mass riots’) of the Criminal Code. Tsyhanovich misses the point of the accusations, because he was behind bars during the ‘mass riots’ (i.e. post-election protests in August).
On June 9, Uladzimir Tsyhanovich was detained and sentenced to administrative arrest. Later, however, he was transferred to the Minsk pre-trial detention centre on Valadarski Street; a criminal case was opened against him under Article 342-2 of the Criminal Code (‘training or other preparation of persons for participation in group actions that grossly violate public order’). The Belarusian human rights community recognised the blogger as a political prisoner.
The reason for slapping a new charge on him is the authorities’ reluctance to release him, Tsyhanovich believes. In accordance with the Belarusian law, the detention term under the previous article ended in December 2020; the investigators should have completed their probe into his case within six months.
In the letter, Tsyhanovich also informs that he was forced to undergo a month-long psychiatric assessment in the Republican Centre for Mental Health. They also examined his videos.
belsat.eu
