Navahrudak resident who tried to flee the country sentenced to a year and a half in prison for insulting Lukašenka and abusing state symbols

March 2, BPN. On March 2, Navahrudak District Court of Hrodna region found Dzmitry Suščyk, a resident of Navahrudak, guilty under Article 370 (abuse of the state symbols) and Article 368 (insulting the president) of the Criminal Code.

Judge Ihar Volčak sentenced Suščyk to one and a half years of imprisonment to be served in a penal colony, Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Suščyk was detained in November 2021. A “confession” video with him was posted on pro-government Telegram channels. Later, Suščyk stated that he was tortured after his detention. In particular, he said that the law enforcers took him to the woods and beat him.

A criminal case was opened against Suščyk and he was released on his own recognizance. He was accused of commenting and reposting materials deemed extremist.

Suščyk was under house arrest from January 28 to February 16, 2022. On February 17, while trying to leave the country, the man was detained by the Russian border guards and handed over to the Belarusian law enforcers. Since February 17, Suščyk has been held in the Homiel’ pre-trial detention center No. 3.