Andrei Bykau
sentenced to 5 years in enhanced security colony
Prisoner
Date of birth: 30 April 1971
Date of detention: 15 August 2022
Charges indicted:
- Art. 361 of the Criminal Code — Calls for actions aimed at causing harm to the national security of the Republic of Belarus
- Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
- Art. 368 of the Criminal Code — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus
- Art. 366 of the Criminal Code — Violence or threat against an official performing official duties or another person performing a public duty
- Art. 130 of the Criminal Code — Incitement to hatred
- Art. 367 of the Criminal Code — Slander against the President of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 5 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony
Judge: Vasil Skok
Prison: Penal colony No. 15
Groups: The military
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Andrei Bykau was convicted under six articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus:
- Part 3 of Art. 361 ('Calls for restrictive measures (sanctions), other actions aimed at harming national security of Belarus')
- Part 1 of Art. 130 ('Inciting other social enmity')
- Art. 369 ('Insulting a government official')
- Part 2 of Art. 367 ('Defamation against the president of Belarus')
- Part 1 ('Violence or threat of violence, destruction or property damage against an official performing official duties or another person performing a civil duty') and Part 2 ('The same actions committed against the president of Belarus') of Art. 366
- Part 2 of Art. 368 ('Insulting the president of Belarus')
On February 17, 2023, in the Hrodna Regional Court, Judge Vasil Skok sentenced Andrei Bykau to five years of imprisonment in an enhanced security penal colony, a fine of 50 fine units (approx. USD 650), and the deprivation of the rank of reserve lieutenant colonel.
In November 2022, the KGB included Andrei Bykau in the 'List of persons involved in terrorist activities'.
