Blogger Vadzim Yermashuk aka Vadimati is reported to stand trial over an administrative case for the fourth time.
Lately he has been charged with ‘distribution of extremist materials’ (Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences). In mid October, the Hrodna resident was sentenced to 20 days of administrative arrest under this article.
As reported earlier, Vadzim Yermashuk is involved in two criminal cases. The Belarusian authorities accused him under Article 368 of the Criminal Code (‘insulting the president’) and Article 370 (‘insulting the state symbols’).
On September 24, Yermashuk was taken into custody; it happened a day before the end of his administrative detention, which lasted 40 days.
Vadzim Yermashuk is an Instagram blogger and seller at the Karona market. In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, he attended trials of political prisoners and spoke against police violence.
On August 16, Vadimati was detained over allegedly calling for taking part in an unofficial sports event at a skate playground in the town of Shchuchyn (Hrodna region). As a sign of protest, Vadzim refused to eat behind bars, where he spent three days awaiting his trial. Charged under Art. 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating rules of holding mass events), Yermashuk was tried in Shchuchyn district court on August 19; judge Dzmitry Tsivunchyk sentenced him to 25 days in jail.
When Vadzim was serving his first term, one more administrative case was initiated against him on the back of his calling the 115 service. According to the prosecutor’s version, then the man used bad language when speaking about the housing system and the city executive committee. The hearing of the new case began on September 8; it was conducted by video link. Notably, the trial was postponed for two days in a row due to Vadzim’s ill health. As he had fever and hypertension, an ambulance was called to him. As a result, the defendant was placed under arrest for another 15 days.
