Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu

blogger, sentenced to 2 years of restricted freedom, released after serving full sentence

Former prisoner

Date of birth: 27 July 1971

Date of detention: 17 June 2021

Charges indicted:

  • Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official

Sentence: 2 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony

Prison sentence start date: 17 June 2021

Date of release: 3 March 2023

Judge: Natallia Panasenka

Groups: Bloggers

Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu is a blogger from Baranavičy who was sentenced to 24 months of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility under Article 369 of the Criminal Code ('Contempt of an official').

He was found guilty of insulting Vital Paddubski, the head of the traffic police in Babrujsk. According to the indictment, in June 2020, in a news piece of the 6tv.by YouTube channel, when coming out of the Mahilioŭ Regional Court, where he appealed against the decision to arrest him for allegedly participating in the Antiparade protest action in Babrujsk on May 9, 2020, Tsimafeyeu called the road police chief a criminal and mediocrity who doesn't know the traffic rules.

On 17 June 2021, Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu started serving his sentence in open-type penal facility #9 (in Viciebsk region).

Starting from August 2022, the political prisoner spent over 60 days in a punishment cell for far-fetched reasons such as placing a small icon and a water filter on the windowsill. His health condition deteriorated, including serious problems with his teeth, chronic diabetes, and a hernia.

In mid-August 2022, a trial was held in Viciebsk to toughen the punishment for Tsimafeyeu. The trial was initiated by the penal faiclity administration, who offered to transfer the political prisoner to a penal colony for numerous "violations" of the regime. The court refused, considering the decision premature.

On November 16, 2022, another trial was held, folowing which Tsimafeyeu was transferred to a penal colony for 3 months and 15 days. After the trial, he was transferred to penal colony #3 (in Vićba, Viciebsk region).

Dzmitry Tsimafeyeu served his full sentence and was released on March 3, 2023.

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