Former Head of Freestyle Training Centre Sentenced in Absentia to 12 Years in Prison

The Minsk City Court on March 20 sentenced former director of the Republican Centre for Olympic Training in freestyle skiing Vadzim Kryvasheyeu. According to the human rights centre Viasna, he was given 12 years in a high-security penal colony and fined 1,000 base units (45,000 rubles).

In September 2020, he was dismissed from his position for “poor ideological work within the team.” Kryvasheyeu later became a representative for sports in the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM).

He was charged under four articles:

• part 3 of Article 426 (as amended by the Law of January 9, 2019 No. 171-Z) — abuse of power or official authority;
• part 1 of Article 357 (as amended by the Law of May 26, 2021 No. 112-Z) — conspiracy or other actions aimed at seizing power;
• part 3 of Article 361 (as amended by the Law of December 14, 2021 No. 133-Z) — calls for sanctions or other actions harming national security;
• part 3 of Article 361-1 (as amended by the Law of May 26, 2021 No. 112-Z) — creation of or participation in an extremist formation.