Another Year Of Prison Sentence Added To Political Prisoner Ivan Zenko
- 25.11.2022, 11:15
During his two years behind bars he has already been tried three times.
On November 9, 40-year-old political prisoner Ivan Zenko was tried in the Shklou District Court under Part 1 Article 411 of the Criminal Code ("persistent disobedience to the demands of the administration of a penal institution"). Judge Aliaksandr Tarakanau sentenced Ivan, in addition to five years of imprisonment, to one more year in the penal colony. This is Ivan's third trial in two years behind bars. Now the political prisoner is waiting for the appeal hearing in the Mahiliou prison #4. Viasna writes about the persecution of political prisoner Ivan Zenko.
Criminal Cases for the Events of 2020
Minsk resident Ivan Zenko was detained on October 20, 2020. In March last year, Zenko was tried with Yauhen Barouski, Aliaksei Draba and Uladzimir Katskel. They were charged under three articles of the Criminal Code at once: "violence against an internal affairs officer" (article 364 of the Criminal Code), "participation in acts that grossly violate public order" (article 342 of the Criminal Code), and "intentional damage to property" (article 218 of the Criminal Code).
The events for which they were tried took place after 5pm on October 11, 2020. During the dispersal of the March of Pride near the Pushkinskaya metro station, they did not allow the riot police to detain a man. Seven riot police officers were the "victims" in the case.
Zenko did not plead guilty in court but said:
"One hundred percent not guilty, I refuse to testify".
The defendants in the case complained of torture at the trial. Ivan said that he had been beaten and threatened.
However, despite the statements about torture, Judge of Frunzenski District Court of Minsk Yulia Blizniuk at the request of prosecutor Valieryj Taratynka sentenced Ivan Zenko to five years in a penal colony with a general regime. Ivan Zenko was sent to the Shklou colony to serve his sentence.
On January 5 of this year, Ivan Zenko became a defendant in a criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code. In this regard, Ivan was transferred to the pre-trial detention center #1 in Valadarski street.
It is known that on March 16, the political prisoner was placed for 10 days in the punishment cell. But the reason is unknown.
On April 6 and 7, the criminal case against Ivan Zenko was heard at the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk. The case was considered by Judge Natallia Buhuk.
This time the political prisoner was accused of participating in the protest rally on August 9, 2020, namely blocking traffic by "coupling" with other unidentified persons.
At the beginning of the trial, Zenko refused to stand up, for which the judge warned him of responsibility. In his final statement, the political prisoner said:
"It is good to see family, relatives and friends. I am doing well, I am gaining strength, I am healthy. I may have been in the front row there. However, when I get out, I will definitely be in the front rows."
The prosecutor asked for two years of imprisonment for Ivan Zenko in a new criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code, which is the sentence that Judge Buhuk ordered. But it had no effect on the final sentence: as a result, the political prisoner was sentenced to five years in a penal colony.
Punitive Confinement, Ward-Type Room And New Criminal Case
In July, Ivan was again transferred to the Shklou colony #17 after the appeal hearing. Almost immediately he was placed in a punishment cell for "disorderly conduct". After that the colony administration placed Ivan in a ward-type room until November 19 and initiated a criminal case under Article 411 of the Criminal Code. The hearing of the new case was scheduled for October 21, but after the first session there was a break. The trial was held on the territory of the colony, which can be accessed only with the permission of the head of the institution.
On November 9, Judge Aliaksandr Tarakanau sentenced Ivan to one more year in the colony in addition to the five years of imprisonment. After the trial, the political prisoner was transferred to the Mahiliou prison #4 pending the consideration of his appeal. Now everyone can support Ivan with money transfers, parcels with various nice little things and medical parcels. This will be good support not only for Ivan, but also for his family.
According to human rights activists, in the past year, at least 41 political prisoners have been transferred to prison regime, and new criminal cases under Article 411 of the Criminal Code have been initiated against another sixteen.
Support Ivan by money transfers, parcels, telegrams and letters to the address:
Ivan Zenko, Prison #4, 99A Krupskaya Street, Mahiliou, 212011