Владимир Журомский, Виктор Новик, Евгений Гуринович
Chief customs inspector Yauhen Hurinovich has been sentenced to 13.5 years in prison, Viktar Novik to 13 years, and Uladzimir Zhuromski to 12 years. They were charged under eight articles of the Criminal Code, including treason, participation in an “extremist formation,” and incitement of hatred, Dissident.by reports.
The trial took place in 2024. According to human rights defenders, the reason for the prosecution was that Hurinovich and his colleagues were fighting against the smuggling of Belarusian cigarettes into the EU and effectively interfered with contraband schemes controlled by the Belarusian authorities.
Hurinovich, Zhuromski, and Novik were detained in 2022. During his arrest, Hurinovich was beaten and suffered a serious back injury. After that, he was unable to walk for a long time and moved around in a wheelchair and with crutches. Due to severe pain, he was repeatedly sent to a hospital in Kaliadzichy. The pain was so intense that Hurinovich would fall to the floor and be unable to get up on his own. Doctors initially refused to grant him disability status, but eventually a hospital in Mahilioŭ confirmed that the pain had objective causes. Hurinovich was officially recognized as disabled.
He is currently being held in Penal Colony No. 15. The administration forces him to attend physical exercises and go to work while using crutches.