Grodno regional court sentenced the former police officer from Grodno, Andrei Shkliar, to 10 years of imprisonment in a maximum-security prison. Besides the 10-year term of imprisonment, the judge Vasil Skok also imposed on Andrei Shkliar a fine in the amount of 200 basic units (7400 BYN).

Andrei Shkliar was detained in December, 2021. He had worked as an inspector of the penitentiary system of Oktiabrsky District Office of Internal Affairs of Grodno. It is known, that at a certain point, Andrei filed a letter of resignation as he disapproved of how the law enforcement system was working. Soon after that the officer was arrested: the system did not want to let go the person who did not want to make part of it.

The former policeman was accused under two articles: «High Treason» (Part 1 Art. 356 of the Criminal Code) and «Disclosure of information of inquiry, preliminary investigation or closed trial» (Art. 407 of the Criminal Code). It is significant that the regime has been keeping everything connected with the conviction of Andrei Shkliar secret from the public. For example, any details of the pressed charges or of the investigation are unknown because the trial was closed. The only thing known to human rights defenders is that there were five hearings on the case. Besides that, the verdict was passed on March 2, 2023, but it has become known only now.

Currently, Andrei Shkliar is held in prison 1 in Grodno.

Human rights defenders have already recognized him as a political prisoner, however, till now, there is very little information on his case.

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