Authorities Charge Blogger Siarhei Piatrukhin Under Three Criminal Code Articles

Now he is held in the pre-trial detention center on Valadarski Street in Minsk.

Brest blogger Siarhei Piatrukhin has been charged under three articles of the Criminal Code, writes tut.by.

According to the human rights center Viasna, the following charges were brought against him:

• Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus - the organization of group actions, grossly violating public order and involving obvious disobedience to the legitimate demands of the authorities. Punished with a fine, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years, or imprisonment for the same term.

• Article 369 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus - Public insult of a representative of authority in connection with the performance of their official duties. It is punished with community service, or a fine, or correctional labor for a term of up to two years, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years.

• Article 391 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus - Insulting a judge or lay judge in connection with their administration of justice. It is punished with a fine, or correctional labor for a term of up to two years, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years.

According to the preliminary information, articles about insulting a judge and a government official relate to the events that happened two years ago. It was not possible to promptly receive a comment from the Investigatory Committee.

Siarhei Piatrukhin was detained on June 16 in the village of Ostrov in the Pukhavichy district, where he was visiting a friend. He was taken to the Kobryn pre-trial detention center to serve 15 days of an administrative arrest. On June 25, it became known that Piatrukhin was transferred to Minsk, and that he was detained as part of a criminal case initiated under Part 1 of Article 342. Now the blogger is held in the pre-trial detention center on Valadarski Street in Minsk.

Human rights activists have recognized Piatrukhin as a political prisoner.