Zmitser Dashkevich

Zmitser Dashkevich Зміцер Дашкевіч
Born	Дзмітрый Вячаслававіч Дашкевіч Dmitry Vyachaslavavich Dashkevich (1981-07-20) 20 July 1981 (age 43) Yelsk District, Gomel Region
Nationality	Belarusian
Occupation	Political activist
Organization	Young Front
Known for	Dissident politics, imprisonment
Spouse	Nasta Palazhanka

Dmitry "Zmitser" Vyachaslavavich Dashkevich (Belarusian: Дзмі́трый «Змі́цер» Вячасла́вавіч Дашке́віч; Russian: Дми́трий Вячесла́вович Дашке́вич; born July 20, 1981, in Yelsk District, Gomel Region) is a Belarusian politician and former leader of the unregistered youth opposition movement Young Front (from 2004 to 2017).^[1]

Life

In November 2006, Dashkevich was found guilty of "illegal political activity" by a Belarusian court and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Amnesty international (AI) declared him a prisoner of conscience, and the U.S. government condemned the verdict.^[2]

In March 2011, he and fellow Young Front activist Eduard Lobau were found guilty of assault one day in advance of a disputed presidential election.^[1] The Young Front activists stated that the case against them was politically motivated.^[3] Dashkevich was sentenced to two years in prison, and Lobau to four. AI again named the pair prisoners of conscience.^[1]

According to AI, Dashkevich was offered a presidential pardon in September 2011 if he would confess his guilt, but he refused.^[4] On 18 July 2012, Belarusian authorities announced that a new investigation had been opened against Dashkevich for his "systematic and aggressive refusal to follow the instructions of the penitentiary administration."^[1] On 28 August 2012, Dashkevich was found guilty in an in camera trial, and another year was added to his prison sentence.^[5] On 30 October, a court ordered Dashkevich's transfer to a maximum security prison. Human Rights Watch reported that he "was being subjected to routine prison abuse, including verbal abuse, arbitrary punishments, and threats of torture, rape, and murder".^[6]

As of September 2011, Dashkevich was engaged to another Young Front activist, Nasta Palazhanka.^[7] The two married when Palazhanka visited him in Hrodno prison on 26 December 2012. Authorities stated that the couple would be allowed one more two-hour visit before Dashkevich's release, scheduled for August 2013.^[8]

He was released on August 28, 2013, after having completed his sentence.^[9]

On April 23, 2022, Dashkevich was detained after a search of his apartment. On July 14, 2022, the Maskoŭski District Court of Minsk sentenced him to 18 months of imprisonment in a penal colony. Viasna Human Rights Centre recognizes Dashkevich as a political prisoner.^[10]

Dashkevich was supposed to be released from the colony in July 2023, but he was detained in a new criminal case. In October of the same year, he was sentenced to a year in a strict regime colony on the charge of malicious disobedience to the colony administration. In May 2024, a new criminal case was opened against Dashkevich, and at the end of September it became known that he was sentenced to a year and 3 months in a strict regime prison on charges of acts that grossly violate public order and malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration.^[11]

References

1. "New Probe Launched Against Belarusian 'Prisoner Of Conscience'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
2. "Belarus Youth Group Members Detained". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 4 February 2007. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
3. "Belarusian Activists Jailed For Holding Rally For Colleagues". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 March 2011. Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
4. "Youth leader faces longer prison sentence". Amnesty International. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
5. "Belarusian 'Prisoner Of Conscience' Gets Additional Year In Jail". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 28 August 2012. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
6. Claire Bigg (30 October 2012). "Belarusian Political Prisoner Dashkevich Sent To Maximum-Security Jail". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
7. "'Conditional Release' Demanded For Jailed Belarusian Activist". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 12 September 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
8. Claire Bigg (28 December 2012). "Belarusian Opposition Activist Ties The Knot In Prison". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
9. "Belarus: Zmitser Dashkevich released, while 11 other political prisoners remain detained".
10. "ZMITSER DASHKEVICH".
11. "Экс-лидер «Молодого фронта» Змитер Дашкевич получил дополнительный срок в колонии строгого режима". Radio France Internationale (in Russian). 2024-10-01.