Political prisoner Aliaksei Sanchuk, who drummed at protests, has been released. He has fully served his six-year sentence
Aliaksei Sanchuk was imprisoned in November 2020.
Aliaksei Sanchuk. Photo: Viasna
Aliaksei Sanchuk is now 35 years old. He graduated from the Minsk Architectural and Construction College and, before his arrest, was involved in furniture assembly. He has a wife and a daughter.
During the protests, he initially participated in solidarity bike rides, and later was one of the participants in the project «We Demand to Disperse». Together with others, he assembled a drum kit, which set the rhythm for marches and courtyard gatherings.
Sanchuk was detained on November 4, 2020, at a rehearsal point. A criminal case was subsequently opened. In May 2021, he was convicted of «preparing to participate in mass riots» (Art. 13 and Part 2 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code), «training to participate in mass riots» (Part 3 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code) and «organizing and participating in actions that grossly violate public order» (Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code).
The man was sentenced to six years in a penal colony. He served his sentence in Shklov. According to «Viasna», Sanchuk was released in early July 2026.