Artur Rybin

sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison

Former prisoner

Date of birth: 6 March 1996

Date of detention: 7 May 2021

Charges indicted:

  • Part 1 of Art. 339 of the Criminal Code — Hooliganism
  • Art. 130 of the Criminal Code — Incitement to hatred

Sentence: 3 1/2 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony

Date of release: 2 September 2024

Judge: Halina Sviatko

Prosecutor: Zhanna Dudarava

Cases: Protests in Homieĺ

Artur Rybin was sentenced by the Homieĺ Regional Court to three and a half years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony under Part 1 of Art. 339 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism) and under Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement to hatred) for making an installation with a portrait of Lukashenka, and for an insulting comment on the Telegram messaging application.

According to the prosecution, in November 2020, made an installation with a portrait of Aliaksandr Lukashenka and a sign reading "Burn in Hell". He then left it on the city's outskirts, photographed it and posted the photo in a Telegram chat. The prosecution argued that these actions were a manifestation of "particular cynicism" and a "desire to destabilize the situation in society and disorganize the work of law enforcement agencies."

In addition, Rybin posted a comment in another Telegram chat reading “In the spring, we have to go out and not leave the streets. When you are beaten, you can hit back. " The investigation saw it as incitement of social enmity and discord.

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