Dudnikov Egor

Dudnikov Egor

Biography

2021:11 years in prison for conducting the opposition Telegram channel

At the end of December 2021, a court in Minsk sentenced 21-year-old Russian Yegor Dudnikov to 11 years in prison for inciting social enmity and calls against the national security of Belarus.

According to the investigation, Dudnikov administered the Telegram channel "Detachments of Civil Self-Defense of Belarus." This Telegram channel is recognized as terrorist in Belarus. The Russian was sentenced to prison, including for voicing audio recordings criticizing the Belarusian authorities.

In the videos and messages there were calls to go outside and in direct physical contact with law enforcement officers, Dudnikov himself said in a letter that he conveyed to reporters through his lawyer Anton Gashinsky. The indictment says that Dudnikov voiced and posted at least 55 "incentive" voice messages on the Telegram channel.

The Russian will serve his sentence in conditions of an enhanced regime. The period of detention from the moment of detention will be counted in the term of serving the sentence in the calculation of a day and a half.

Lawyer Anton Gashinsky said that if the Russian is sentenced to such a severe punishment, lawyers will begin the process of his extradition to Russia.

About any adverse consequences from the actions of Dudnikov is unknown. No one stated this, no one died. For simple voiceover, getting 11 years in prison is clearly unfair, "Gashinsky said in a conversation with Novaya Gazeta.

At first, Dudnikov was accused under part 1 of article 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus ("Organization of actions grossly violating public order"). He faced up to three years in prison.

Yegor Dudnikov himself claimed that he did not participate in opposition protests after the presidential election in Belarus in August 2020. He also said that he was forced to incriminate himself. ^[1]