Uladzislau Savin

Prisoner

Date of birth: 18 August 1978

Date of detention: 8 April 2021

Charges indicted:

  • Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
  • Part 4 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code — Fraud committed by an organized group or on a large scale
  • Art. 368 of the Criminal Code — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus

Sentence: 10 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony

Prison sentence start date: 20 January 2023

Judge: Anzhela Kastsiukevich, Viktoryia Pakunova

Prosecutor: Vadzim Karachun

Prison: Penal colony No. 2

Groups: Cultural workers

Uladzislau Savin is a producer and a blogger. He was accused of fraud on a large scale (Part 4 of Art. 209 of the Criminal Code) and organizing and participating in unauthorized protest actions (Art. 342 of the Criminal Code). Allegedly, in 2015-2016, Savin failed to arrange the participation in the first reality show in Belarus that was promised to more than 100 people. Besides, he was accused of participating in three protest marches in 2020, and of organizing protests through videos on his Instagram page. Savin pleaded guilty under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (protetsts), but he pleaded not guilty under Art. 209 (fraud).

On March 30, 2022, after four months of court proceedings, the Zavodski District Court of Minsk announced the verdict. The judge Anzhela Kastsiukevich sentenced Savin to eight years of imprisonment in an enhanced-security penal colony—the punishment requested by the state prosecution.

On October 26, 2022, a new criminal case against Savin was considered in the Baranavichy District and City Court. That time Savin was tried under Art. 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting Lukashenka in a poem, in his appeal against the above sentence. The judge Viktoryia Pakunova sentenced him to two more years of imprisonment. The prosecution was represented by the Baranavichy interdistrict prosecutor assistant Vadzim Karachun.

As a result of the combined sentences, Savin is to serve seven and a half years of imprisonment in an enhanced-security penal colony.

Mail address: Penal colony No. 2. 213800, Babrujsk, vulica Sikorskaha 1

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