Aliaksandr Kandratsiuk, activist of the Belarus Free Trade Union (SPB), sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment, was recognized by human rights defenders as a political prisoner. A statement about his recognition as a political prisoner appeared on the website of the human rights center "Viasna".
We should remind that Aliaksandr Kandratsiuk, junior researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus, was convicted on charges of publicly insulting A. Lukashenka (Article 368 of the Criminal Code), slandering A. Lukashenka (Art 367 of the Criminal Code). The charges were slander and incitement of social enmity or discord (Article 130 of the Criminal Code).
The prosecutor's office demanded a 3.5 year imprisonment for the trade union activist. On May 17th , the motion of prosecutor Dalidovich was satisfied and Aliaksandr was sentenced to 3.5 years of jail. It is known that the activist intends to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus. At present he is kept in an investigative isolator.
Five Belarusian human rights organizations pointed out in their statement that the prosecution by investigators and courts for incitement of social hatred or discord (Article 130 of the Criminal Code) is used selectively and discriminatorily solely to protect the institutions of power ... and seems unreasonable.