Former collector and ex-special forces officer released — he was detained on the eve of his departure from the country
Among the political prisoners who were released and deported to Ukraine on December 13 was 33-year-old Yan Papkovich, a former Belagzprombank collector and ex-special forces officer.
Among the political prisoners who were released and deported to Ukraine on December 13 was 33-year-old Yan Papkovich, a former Belagzprombank collector and ex-special forces officer.
After the start of the full-scale war, he resigned and intended to move to Poland with his wife and brother. But the day before, on September 2, 2022, he was detained by special forces. Yan was severely beaten, and his dog was also shot and wounded.
In BT (Belarusian Television) reports, the guy was portrayed as a mercenary who was going to fight in Ukraine.
In May 2023, Papkovich was sentenced to four years in a general regime penal colony. He was accused under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (group actions that grossly violate public order) and Part 1 of Art. 361-3 of the Criminal Code (participation in an armed formation or armed conflict on the territory of a foreign state). Yan did not admit his guilt.
In December 2023, he was convicted in a case of insubordination to the colony administration (Art. 411) and given three months of imprisonment and a change to a stricter detention regime. And in April 2025, he was sentenced to an additional nine months of imprisonment under the same article.
Before his release, Yan, according to Viasna's information, was held in penal colony No. 20.
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