Tsikhanouski and Piatrukhin Spread New Nonsense: That Political Prisoner Papou Received 16 Years in Prison Because of an "NN" Publication

"I know cases where 'Nasha Niva' publications appeared in criminal cases as evidence for the prosecution. In my trial, such a publication was used in the case of Dzmitry Papou, who was ultimately sentenced to 16 years," — wrote Tsikhanouski on Facebook.

And blogger Siarhei Piatrukhin played a voice message during his stream that Tsikhanouski had sent him.

"Innocent people, uninvolved people, are imprisoned. They are imprisoned because of their articles. In one, they wrote that Papou managed Tsikhanouski's social networks. Such a Russian. This is not true, and the person is imprisoned. And in the second, that Tsikhanouski is connected with Russia. So they found the only Russian, not in my team, but an acquaintance of my video operator. He is now imprisoned, for 16 years. This is because of the publication of this info-garbage," — was heard in the stream.

This information speculation is designed for people who don't know how to Google and compare facts. Political prisoner Dzmitry Papou is little-known because he came to Belarus from Russia shortly before the events of 2020. Papou was known for his participation in Russian projects "Skanner" (for the de-anonymization of security forces) and "Male State". "Mediazona" wrote in detail about Papou's life in Russia. When he moved to Belarus — it is unknown.

Papou was mentioned four times on the "Nasha Niva" website, all four times these were reprints: one report from "Radio Svaboda" and three short pieces of information from the human rights center "Viasna". Here's what was written in those reprints.

On June 4, 2020, a farmer from Mazyr, whose house was raided by security forces, reported Papou's arrest to a "Radio Svaboda" correspondent:

"They had both Brest and Minsk license plates. It turned out they were looking for Dzima Papou — he worked as an operator for Siarhei Tsikhanouski. Dzima, it's true, was with us, but he escaped. ...They interrogated us about where Dzima Papou was. They turned my whole house upside down, took equipment."

"Nasha Niva" reposted that text: "18 Policemen Swooped In, House Turned Upside Down!" A Mazyr farmer told how Tsikhanouski's associate was searched for at his place.

The next mention of Papou on the "Nasha Niva" website was on July 8, 2020. Then, in the list of detained bloggers and activists reposted from "Viasna", a Russian was also named. Human rights defenders presented him as "the moderator of the social networks of 'Country for Life'".

On July 10, 2020, Viasna activists learned that a criminal case had been opened against Papou, and on July 13, 2020, he was recognized as a political prisoner. In these news reports, he still appears as "the moderator of Tsikhanouski's social networks".

Can it be believed that screenshots of these reprints on the "Nasha Niva" website were the basis of the accusation in court? No, that's foolishness.

On July 29, 2020, ONT broadcast part of the testimony given by Dzmitry Papou. The room where the filming took place resembles an interrogation room at Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1 in Valadarka. The camera (most likely hidden) was either placed on the table or attached to the uniform of one of the investigators.

In this video, Papou talks about his cooperation with Tsikhanouski's team. Perhaps the testimony was given under duress, but in any case, the words he spoke reached the court and formed part of the accusation. Even if Papou had said the opposite during the trial.

Yes, materials from independent media can also be filed as additional elements in political criminal cases. The cases there are absurd, made up from thin air. But this does not mean that Papou was imprisoned as a result of media publications or human rights defenders.

"NN" calls on Siarhei Tsikhanouski to stop spreading false information.

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Tsikhanouski and Piatrukhin nitpick the words of journalists: there's the wrong word, there's the wrong headline — while they themselves spread complete nonsense. They expect that no one will think deeply, and they'll get a dose of attention. A powerful blow to Lukashenkaism has been struck, tales have been told. And they haven't come up with another way to attract attention than to start a petty war. But info-speculation today gives you a couple of clicks, but long-term — it discredits. Piatrukhin has long had no reputation left, Tsikhanouski with these latest steps is destroying the remnants of his own.

* * *

Can we make mistakes? It happens. Can we use an imprecise, incorrect word? It happens. It happens to everyone. Write to us, correct us, clarify, explain if we misunderstood something — we will correct it, publish your answer, your clarification. We give the floor to both sides.

"Nasha Niva" has firm principles. When you were imprisoned, we defended you. But if you are free, and especially after a year has passed, and you are a politician — we have critically followed and will continue to critically follow the activities of politicians of any stripe.

Politicians are not children to be fawned over.

We have written and will write sharply, and sometimes caustically, and sometimes with irony.

Here we must make a digression and explain to readers — especially new readers who started reading "Nasha Niva" after August 2020, who do not understand why there is such an uproar. In fact, the scores are older. Siarhei Tsikhanouski holds a great grudge against "NN" for the 2019 article "Earlier photographed with Sobchak, now — with Seviarynets. Who is political blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski?". We know about this because in 2025, at the very first meeting with journalists in Warsaw after his release, we had to listen to many "warm words" from Tsikhanouski about that old article. But we repeat: we wrote and will write critically about politicians. What was known about Tsikhanouski at that moment — that's what we wrote.

"Nasha Niva" has always conscientiously done what we consider our duty, what seemed right to us. We stood guard until the end even in 2021. How absurd to think that someone with their nonsense on Facebook will force us to serve someone; and how short-sighted their understanding of the mechanism of relations between independent private media and their donors, patrons, funders.

Tsikhanouski discredits himself with his senseless, unwanted war, not us.

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