The verdict for political prisoner Maksim Siamitka has become known.
The verdict for 31-year-old Maksim Siamitka from Kalinkavichy, about whom we wrote earlier, has become known.
Maksim Siamitka. Photo from his VKontakte page
The decision was made by the Vitebsk Regional Court, which found him guilty of allegedly "facilitating extremist activities" under parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code. At the end of January, the verdict came into force, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs included Siamitka in the list of persons allegedly involved in "extremist activities."
Human rights defenders from "Gomel Spring" found out that Maksim Siamitka was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom with referral to a correctional facility. The exact place of his detention is not yet known.
It is believed that the persecution may be related to the case of the Telegram channel "Belarusian Hajun," which monitored the movements of Russian troops in Belarus before and during the war against Ukraine. Maksim Siamitka was detained almost a year ago, shortly after the hacking of the Telegram channel became known.
Maksim Siamitka was born on January 8, 1995. He hails from the Gomel region — he studied at School No. 2 in Naroulia, later lived in Mozyr and Kalinkavichy.
During army recruitment, Siamitka joined an elite unit — the Honor Guard Company, which participates in solemn state-level events. Only tall men with regular facial features are accepted there. Judging by social networks, Maksim was discharged in 2016.
After the army, Maksim went to work in the police. From July 2016, he served in the Department of Protection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Siamitka was a police officer-driver in a special battalion, whose service is associated with the protection of diplomatic missions. In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of senior police sergeant.
It is not precisely known where he worked recently.