Victor Makarenko

The 65-year-old director of an auto parts store, Viktor Makarenko, was charged under Article 190 of the Criminal Code ("violation of the equality of citizens") for refusing to sell goods to Russian military personnel and calling them occupiers.

On October 28, 2022, one of the pro-government Telegram channels published a post reporting the detention of the director of an auto parts store in Baranovichi. According to their information, the man told his subordinate: "Don't sell them anything, they are occupiers." The occupiers were Russian military personnel.

The director of an auto parts store was detained. A pro-government Telegram channel claimed that after the detention, evidence was found of the man's participation in the 2020 protests, as well as facts of money transfers to the Armed Forces of Ukraine made after February 24.

The man was indeed detained as part of a criminal case under Article 190 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus for three days, and was also arrested for 15 days under Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (dissemination of extremist materials).

The man remained free until the trial.

The Baranovichi District and Baranovichi City Court issued a verdict on February 16, 2023. Prosecutor Svetlana Pasemko requested a fine of 300 basic units (11,100 rubles) for Makarenko. Judge Artem Podolyanets sentenced the man to this punishment.

Even before the trial, the Baranovichi prosecutor filed a lawsuit in the economic court to terminate the activities of individual entrepreneur Makarenko. On December 19, 2022, the economic court stopped his activities. Viktor Makarenko worked as an individual entrepreneur since 1993, now the man is retired.