Viasna Human Rights Centre
Belarus · Viasna
01Overview
Quick Facts
CountryBelarus
Age / Sex32 · male
Occupation—
Arrested inHomel, Homel region
Held atPenal Colony No. 17
CategoryJournalism
StatusConvicted
Sentence16 years
Belarus · context
1,277documented cases
393 urgent · 116 report torture
Most common grounds
Journalism
101
Legal Profession
11
Medical
2
Culture
1
Case Summary
Arciom Sakau is a former border guard and a YouTube operator for the 'Strana dlya zhizni' channel. He was detained during the 2020 protests in connection with the 'Tikhanouskaya case'. He was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security colony.
Native-Language SummaryBE • Original
Арцём Сакаў — былы памежнік і аператар YouTube-канала «Страна для жыцця». Ён быў затрыманы падчас пратэстаў 2020 года ў межах «справы Ціханоўскай». Пасля суда ён атрымаў 16 гадоў калоніі ўзмоцненага рэжыму.
02Charges
Charges
04 count- 01Organization of mass riots
- 02Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order
- 03Obstruction of the exercise of electoral rights
- 04Inciting hatred
Criminal Code Articles
04 articleArt. BY-293Art. BY-342Art. BY-191Art. BY-130
03Analysis
Predicting Vector
Surveillance vector
Surveillance vectorUnknown
Technology usedYouTube
04Timeline
Case Timeline
Arrest date
May 31, 2020
Sentence served
6y 1mo / 16 years
05Sources
Data Source
Source vs. PPW analysis
ViasnaCase facts, charges, dates, and status.
PPW analysisRisk, surveillance & sentence estimates — probabilistic, not the source's reporting.
View all data sources →§ Updates
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Cite this case
Political Prisoner Watch. (2026). Case file: Arciom Sakau (PPW case cmmkykr6). Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://politicalprisonerwatch.org/prisoners/cmmkykr6x00381vcfq9jngop4. Original data from Viasna Human Rights Centre (https://prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/arciom-sakau).
Formats reflect this case as an online database record. Always verify the original source before citing in legal filings.