Well-known Viciebsk critical care physician Uladzimir Martaŭ sentenced to 7 days of arrest

February 23, BPN. The Lepel’ District Court (Viciebsk region) sentenced Uladzimir Martaŭ, the well-known Viciebsk critical care physician, to seven days of arrest for the white-red-white flag on his profile picture on a social network, reports Radio Svaboda, referring to his wife. Martaŭ was found guilty under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code (violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events).

Apparently, this was about Martaŭ’s Facebook profile picture with a flag frame and the slogan “I’m for Independence.”

According his wife, the authorities also had questions about some song, either posted by Martaŭ in social networks, or recorded on a CD.

The physician pleaded not guilty in court.

Martaŭ was detained on February 22 at his summer house near Lepel’ and placed in the Lepel’ temporary detention center.

Uladzimir Martaŭ is a physician with 30 years of experience. Since 2003, he had worked in the Viciebsk Emergency Hospital. For the last five years, he was the head of the Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Department.

The doctor shared with the media information about problems in medical care for Covid-19 patients, in particular, about disruptions in the supply of oxygen to the hospital intensive care unit. Martaŭ claimed that this caused several people to die on ventilators at the end of 2020.

During his visit to the hospital in Maladzečna (Minsk region) on March 12, 2021 Aliaksandr Lukašenka said that Martaŭ “should be put him in his place.” On April 3, 2021 the doctor was fired and his contract was not extended.

Since then, Martaŭ has not worked in healthcare. He adopted an active civic stance on social networks, declaring his rejection of violence and authoritarian government. Martaŭ expressed solidarity with political prisoners, speaking out about the hunger strike of philosopher Uladzimir Mackievič. Martaŭ also hosted the podcast At War with COVID-19 on YouTube.