Anatoly Grigorievich Sotnikov
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- Anatoly Grigorievich Sotnikov
Anatoly Grigorievich Sotnikov
He has handed down punitive sentences in politically motivated cases since 2012. Found Sergei Treshchenko guilty of distributing a video depicting the brutality of security forces, and sentenced him to 3 years in prison to serve the sentence in a general regime correctional colony. Andrei Podnebenny was tried under the following articles: part 1 of article 14 and part 3 of article 218 (attempted intentional destruction or damage to someone else’s property), part 1 of article 361-1 (creation of an extremist formation), part 1 and part 2 of article 289 (act of terrorism) . The court session was closed. Sentenced Ilya Veremeev to 6.5 years in prison for messages in telegram chats under two articles of the Criminal Code: part 1 article 14, part 1 article 293 (attempt to organize mass riots) and part 1 article 130 (inciting other social discord). Presumably, such messages in the group chat were the guy’s reaction to the war that began in Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus, by the Russian armed forces.
He has handed down punitive sentences in politically motivated cases since 2012. Found Sergei Treshchenko guilty of distributing a video depicting the brutality of security forces, and sentenced him to 3 years in prison to serve the sentence in a general regime correctional colony. Andrei Podnebenny was tried under the following articles: part 1 of article 14 and part 3 of article 218 (attempted intentional destruction or damage to someone else’s property), part 1 of article 361-1 (creation of an extremist formation), part 1 and part 2 of article 289 (act of terrorism) . The court session was closed. Sentenced Ilya Veremeev to 6.5 years in prison for messages in telegram chats under two articles of the Criminal Code: part 1 article 14, part 1 article 293 (attempt to organize mass riots) and part 1 article 130 (inciting other social discord). Presumably, such messages in the group chat were the guy’s reaction to the war that began in Ukraine, including from the territory of Belarus, by the Russian armed forces.
List of repressed
- Associations
- Students
Danila is a student at the Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. On October 18, 2024, in the Novobelitsky District Court of Gomel, he and his mother Elena Chibisova were convicted under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (rape distribution of extremist materials). The outcome of that court hearing is unknown. After that, a criminal case was opened.
- Associations
- Foreign citizens
Citizen of Ukraine. From June 8 to June 21, 2023, the case was considered behind closed doors by judge Anatoly Sotnikov.
On August 29, 2023, an appeal hearing was held and the verdict came into force.
On the night of October 13-14, 2023, in the center of the pine forest, the official red-green flag was removed from the flagpole and thrown into the trash bin, and the Ukrainian flag was attached in its place. The person who did this was detained based on the recording of a surveillance camera installed on the village council building. Valeriy Samsonenko previously worked in the Svetlogorsk district department of emergency situations, but quit.
On 05.04.2024, the appeal was heard and the verdict came into force.
According to human rights activists , he will be released in the summer of 2024, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Parents of minors
On March 6, 2024, the appeal was considered and the verdict came into force.
Katerina has a little daughter waiting at home.
On 09.02.2024, the appeal was heard and the verdict came into force.
According to human rights activists, he will be released in the fall of 2024.
According to pro-government telegram channels, four people were detained - they are called a "sleeper cell of extremists" who had "external connections" with Belarusian volunteers fighting in Ukraine. Among them is Igor.
All of them are from Gomel and, judging by their posts on social networks, have been friends for a long time, participating together in an international game of Beer Pong in Gomel.
After the brutal detention, the friends were forced to record a “repentance video” and say that they created a chat where they corresponded with each other, and after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they allegedly insulted Lukashenko several times in correspondence, and also wrote “wrong” comments. Another accusation is that the guys “had external connections” with Belarusian volunteers who are fighting for Ukraine. Apparently, this was the basis for initiating a criminal case under the article “promoting extremist activities.”
On May 10, 2024, the appeal was considered and the verdict entered into force.
The trial was held behind closed doors. An appeal hearing was held on May 12, 2023, after which the verdict came into force. Alexander began serving his sentence.
Released on parole in December 2024.
Anatoly was arrested in September 2021 as part of a criminal case opened for online comments following the deaths of KGB officer Dmitry Fedosyuk and IT specialist Andrei Zeltser in Minsk. In January 2023, he was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.
He was released in January 2025, having fully served his sentence.
- Associations
- Foreign citizens
- Associations
- Foreign citizens
Citizen of Ukraine. Larisa Krupa is involved in the case along with Zakharenko. The women are accused under articles of failure to report a crime (Part 2 of Article 406 of the Criminal Code) and espionage (Article 358 of the Criminal Code). The trial will be held behind closed doors.
Natalya has been traveling to Belarus since the second half of 2022. She helped Ukrainians who were stuck in Belarus and could not get out on their own, leave the country. She traveled to Belarus in her own car. Zakharanka helped smuggle about 30 people out of Belarus.
During another trip to Belarus, the woman disappeared. She stopped communicating on July 17, 2023.
It is known that, in addition to the prison term, the court decided to confiscate Natalya’s minibus.
Her friend, Belarusian from Mozyr Larisa Krupa, was awarded a fine of 100 basic units (4 thousand Belarusian rubles) for “failure to report a crime.”
The circumstances of the accusation are unknown, as are the details of the trial; the trial was closed.
On May 24, 2024, the appeal was considered and the verdict entered into force.
On the evening of June 28, 2024, sudden information appeared about the release of five political prisoners from Belarusian colonies. The Ukrainian authorities achieved the release of their exchange citizens as prisoners. This is how Natalya Zakharenko, Pavel Kuprienko, Lyudmila Goncharenko, Ekaterina Bryukhanova, as well as Nikolai Shvets, a defendant in the “Machulishchi case,” were released. The terms of the exchange were not disclosed. It is noted that the Vatican took part in the liberation. The released political prisoners were brought to Ukraine on June 28 - their photo from the Zhulyany airport appeared in the media.
Taxi driver, Red Cross volunteer.
Oleg is accused of posting three messages on the Internet about an airplane flying over Gomel, showing the time and applied geolocation. And then adding a video about the movement of Russian PAZ buses.
Oleg has a son. Before his arrest, he worked as a taxi driver and volunteered for several charitable organizations.
He was scheduled to be released on July 12, 2025.
Sergei was convicted in July 2021 for participating in post-election protests that took place on the night of August 9-10, 2020, in Zhlobin.
In January 2024, a court hearing was held to discuss the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom with a non-custodial sentence. The outcome of the hearing is unknown.
Ilya was convicted in July 2021 for participating in post-election protests that took place on the night of August 9-10, 2020, in Zhlobin.
In January 2024, a court hearing was held to discuss the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom with a non-custodial sentence. The outcome of the hearing is unknown.