Rights groups declare activist Kudzik political prisoner

March 6, Pozirk. Investigators press a criminal charge against Andrej Kudzik, a jailed activist from Vilejka, Minsk region, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

According to the center, the man is accused of insulting an official and may face up to three years in prison, if convicted. Given his situation, Kudzik has been re-added to the list of political prisoners.

Kudzik is known for his short videos about mismanagement, poor roads, piles of fallen leaves etc. People usually complain about some poor practices, he comes and films and then posts short videos about it on his TikTok account.

On February 9, the Maładziečna District Court, Minsk region, labeled his TikTok account extremist. Soon after, on February 15, all contact with the man was lost.

Police placed him at a detention center in Vilejka, Minsk region, for 15 days for an unspecified minor offense. He was not released after serving the sentence.

According to the human rights group, the Vilejka activist was “persecuted for picketing and expressing his civic position more than once in 2020 and 2021; he was detained, fined and arrested.”

In February 2022, Kudzik was sentenced to two years in prison for violating Article 342 of the Criminal Code carrying punishment for organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order or active participation in such actions. The man refused to testify and pleaded not guilty.

He was released on July 18, 2023.

Last October, Kudzik was sentenced to 15 days in jail for “wishing Ukraine a happy Independence Day” on TikTok.