Mahiliou regional court has passed a guilty verdict in the case of Syarhei Prus and Dzmitry Bondarau who were tried over posting a ‘protest’ video on Instagram.
The two defendants were accused of ‘inciting racial, national, religious or other social hatred’ against police officers (Article 130-3 of the Criminal Code).
“In the video [posted on Instagram], the two young men called on people to beat OMON riot policemen and other law enforcement officers. The same video showed their participation in unauthorised mass events and having protest symbols. Later, the defendants put down such act to their being under the influence of alcohol and information from destructive groups on social networks,” the prosecution’s version reads.
In court, Syarhei Prus and Dzmitry Bondarau pleaded guilty. However, judge Iryna Tsyaplova has sentenced them to 5 years of imprisonment in a medium security penal colony each.