The “Round Dance Case” in Brest is one of the biggest politically motivated criminal cases in Belarus. Since August, 2020, Belarusians have been using various form of protest. Unfortunately, most of them have brought the participants to defendant’s benches.

Every hearing of every loud case demands particular attention, and this is how Our House obtains the truthful overview of repressions and the truthful statistics covering thousands of broken lives. This is how we will be able to prove the crimes of the regime. In this report of Our House, you can learn about the results of first trials of the “round dance case” in Brest, as well as about what happened in September, 2020 that made people defendants in that case.

On September 13, 2020, a protest march took place in the city of Brest, about 4000 people took part in it. At the crossroads of Masherau Ave. and Cosmonauts’s Blvd. people formed a round dance, they danced and sang songs.

Because of that, the movement of transport was stopped. Later people were dispersed with jets of water thrown by water cannons. Then the enforcers began detaining the citizens. The Investigation Committee opened a criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus against the protestants.

The rubric “Defence and Solidarity” of Our House’s website provides numerous materials on the repressions that Belarusians are subjected to for their active civic stance. In the sections “Monitorings” you can find analytical materials on the pressing issues of Belarusians inside the country and abroad.

Events of September 13, 2020

On September 13, 2020, the protestants gathered near the Millennium Monument around 2.30 p.m. They stood there with flags, chanting “Long Live Belarus!” Then the column of the protestants moved along Sovietskaya Street towards Mayakovsky Street, but on that day, they did not go to Lenin Square, but turned to Masherau Avenue.

In Masherau Avenue the protestants went out on the road and moved towards Kobrynsky Bridge. They stopped at the crossroads with Kosmonavtov Avenue and started chanting: “This is our square!” Because of that, vehicles were blocked at the crossroads and could not move, public transport also stopped.

The protestants stood in a circle, began a round dance and sang protestant songs. That lasted for about 40 minutes, when a water cannon arrived at approximately 5 p.m. and dispersed the protestants.

The MIA reported that “about a thousand people danced a round dance, sang songs and shouted various slogans in the centre of a crossroads. Due to the actions of the participants of the unsanctioned mass gathering event, the movement of public transport was blocked, which created a real threat to the road traffic safety”.

The damage caused by the standing time amounts to 619 Rubles 55 Kopecks (198.45 Euro) for the trolley yard and 40 Rubles 37 Kopecks (12.93 Euro) for the bus fleet.

Defendants and suspects in the “round dance case”.

The defendants are being tried in groups. As of May 17, 2022, 14 groups of defendants were convicted.

Currently, the number of the convicted people is 130, including:

• 44 females
• 86 males
• 55 convicts out of 130 were recognized as political prisoners.

In total they were sentenced to:

• 138 years 3 months of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”);
• 92 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution (“khimiya”);
• 14 years and 3 months of prison colony.

Why do “honest” Belarusian judges make their best to imprison defendants to the longest terms possible? The regime has been building a slave labour system for many years, and it needs new “staff”. New slaves. Our House wrote about that only a few years ago. It is great to finally be heard!

TRIALS IN THE ROUND DANCE CASE OF BREST. PART 1

On January 20, 2021 the trial of the first group of 10 people took place.

The defendants were accused under Part 1, Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (Organization of group actions that seriously harm public order and inherent in flagrant disobedience to the legitimate demands of the authorities or entailing disruptions in the work of transport).

	Maryna Hlazava a teacher, from Brest 25 years old	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
	Maksim Zharau director of a private firm, from Brest 33 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution (“khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
	Mikalai Fedarenka an employee of a trading company, from Brest 34 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution (“khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Yaraslau Yarashuk unemployed, from Brest 40 years old	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
	Yauhen Kalpachyk a removal man, from Brest 29 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Viktar Dzenisenka from Brest 28 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Vital Litvin a removal man, from Brest 38 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Vadzim Varanovich from Brest	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»	No PP status
No photo available.	Aliaksei Yakubuk from Brest 29 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»).	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Maryna Siretsan (Sirecan) from Brest	1 year 3 months of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”).	No PP status

 

The judge passing the sentence: Sviataslau Kalina.

The sentence was passed on February 25, 2021.

On February 15, 2021, the trial of the second group of 8 residents of Brest took place.

The defendants were accused under Part 1, Article 342 of the Criminal Code.

	Aliaksei Artsetski from Brest 36 years old	1.5 years of prison colony	Recognized political prisoner
	Vital Brukh from Brest 34 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Dzmitry Bunevich from Brest 28 years old	1 year 8 months of prison colony	Recognized political prisoner
	Dzmitry Abramuk from Brest 30 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Aliaksei Baranouski from Brest 29 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Dzmitry Kachurka from Brest 34 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner.
No photo available.	Hienadz Misiuta from Brest,	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
	Uladzimir Talatynnik from Brest 48 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner

 

The judge passing the sentence: Dzmitry Shuryn.

Prosecutors: Mikhail Yushchuk, Stsiapan Liashok.

The sentence was passed on 15/03/2021.

On April 15, 2021, the trial of the third group of 15 people took place.

The defendants were accused under Part 1, Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

	Siarhei Naliuka from Brest 36 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Valiantsina Zhukouskaya from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
	Danila Chamadanau A citizen of Russia 24 years old	1 year of prison colony	Recognized political prisoner
	Alena Hnauk from Pruzhany 63 years old	2 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
	Radzivon Kandratsiuk student of a construction vocational school, from Brest 18 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Viktar Labko from Brest 34 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Kiryl Lud from Brest	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	No PP status
No photo available.	Liudmila Lutskaya from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Maryia Skakavets from Brest	2 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
	Alena Lyskovich from Brest 47 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
	Viktoryia Lyskovich from Brest 23 years old	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»). Escaped from Belarus.	Recognized political prisoner
	Uladzislau Navitski an MMA fighter, from Brest 27 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»).	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Vasil Charnetski from Brest	2 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Yury Chubryk from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status

 

The judge passing the sentence: Ina Klyshpach.

Prosecutors: Alena Sharko, Aliaksei Baranouski

The sentence was passed on 07/05/2021.

On May 14, 2021, the trial of the fourth group of 12 people took place.

The defendants were accused under Part 1, Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

	Mikalai Papeka a beemaster, from Pruzhany 59 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	Recognized political prisoner
No photo available.	Yauhen Siniak a warehouse attendant, from Brest	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»)	No PP status
	Arseni Siniak a student, from Brest 19 years old	2 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»). Escaped from Belarus.	Recognized political prisoner
	Raman Yakhin from Brest, 46 years old	2 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
	Volha Hlushan from Brest, 34 years old	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	Recognized political prisoner
	Palina Liashko from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”) Ran to Ukraine	No PP status
	Andrei Liashko from Brest	1.5 years of restriction of liberty in an open-type correctional institution («khimiya»). Ran to Ukraine	No PP status
No photo available.	Raman Dzemidovich from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Maryna Darashuk from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Viktoryia Karalchuk from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Alesia Kramchanina from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status
No photo available.	Sviatlana Marchuk from Brest	1.5 years of restraint of liberty under home confinement (“domashnyaya khimiya”)	No PP status

 

The judge passing the sentence: Siarhei Maruchak

Prosecutors: Yaroshyk, Plysheuski.

The sentence was passed on 08/06/2021.

Here we have presented the facts of the big criminal “round dance” case in Brest and showed the outcome of the trials of the first four groups of defendants, taking place in the period from January to May, 2021.

14 groups, 130 people convicted for opposing despotism and injustice. Months-long arrests. Men and women judged by corrupt representatives of the regime. Only one protest case and only one year in the life of a country, reflected in the materials of Our House. Statistics which cannot be ignored and cannot be argued with. Dates and numbers talking about the crimes of the regime. Dates and numbers that will once become proofs at other trials, that will be indeed honest and fair.