Square-2010 participant Uladzimir Kondrus sentenced to 18 months of restriction

Participant of Square-2010, Rudzensk inhabitant Uladzimir Kondrus, has been sentenced to 18 months of restriction of liberty. He stood trial in Minsk Maskouski District Court on December 26. The political prisoner was returned guilty of participation in ‘the mass riots’ on December 19, 2010. The prosecutor asked for three years of restriction of liberty. This sentence is milder than the sentence indicated in the law (3-8 years of imprisonment). A mixed personality disorder has been diagnosed in Kondrus, the prosecutor explained and asked to prescribe compulsory outpatient medical treatment for him.

The court decided to release Kondrus in the court room. However, the political prisoner was in a police bus outside. He was released a few minutes later. The convict will undergo compulsory psychiatric treatment at home.

Kondrus was not present in the court room. He was said to have refused to attend the trial. The judge decided that he should not be allowed to enter the court room for ‘contempt of court’. Kondrus had refused to give evidence and communicate with the investigators. It turned out that KGB had found him with the help of Facebook and VKontakte (some sources thought that an article published in Nasha Niva was to blame for the arrest). Numerous videos show the suspect breaking windows and trying to snatch a shield from a riot policeman, the prosecutor said.) Investigators also mentioned Kondrus’ personal correspondence (including Skype) retrieved from his confiscated computer and phone.

Kondrus tried cutting his wrists when he was in a cage at the first hearing, Euroradio reported. The hearing was suspended and Kondrus was sent to a psychiatric expertise.

Human rights defenders announced Uladzimir Kondrus a political prisoner before the trial. He was jailed in June 2016.