January 24, 2022 the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus will consider the appeal against the case of Andrei Khanevich, Chairperson of Belarusian Independent trade union (BNP) at JSC Grodno Azot. The trade union leader is trying to have the verdict reconsidered.
The trade union leader was convicted for a conversation with a "Belsat" journalist, during which he allegedly "passed some information". Andrei's phone was tapped and his conversations were recorded by special services.
The primary organization of the BNP was one of the first to be liquidated after it was declared "extremist" in the spring of 2022, at a time when Andrei was serving an administrative arrest. The reason for the union's liquidation was the alleged dissemination of information deemed extremist in Belarus in a Telegram media chat room.
After his dismissal from the enterprise, a criminal case was brought against Andrei. November 16, 2021 Grodno Region Court found him guilty under Article 369-1 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus) and Article 361-4 (promotion of extremist activity) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.
Judge of Hrodna Regional Court Vitali Kulesh found Andrei Khanevich guilty and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment in a reinforced regime penal colony.
47-year-old Andrei Khanevich worked as an apparatus in the shop "Carbomide-3" at Grodno Azot. Andrei has three children.