Viasna Human Rights Centre
Belarus · Viasna
01Overview
Quick Facts
CountryBelarus
Age / Sex72 · male
Occupation—
Arrested inLyakhavichy, Brest region
Held atPK № 17
CategoryOther
StatusConvicted
Sentence7 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
Barys Vitko is a retiree from Lyakhavichy who faced multiple charges for criticizing officials and the President online. He has serious health issues and suffered a stroke while in detention. He was sentenced to over seven years in a high-security colony.
Key Facts
01 entries- 01[politzek] Пенсионер из Ляховичей.
Native-Language SummaryBE • Original
Барыс Вітко — пенсіянер з Ляхавічаў, які сутыкаўся з шматлікімі абвінавачваннямі за крытыку прадстаўнікоў улады і прэзідэнта ў інтэрнэце. Ён мае сур'ёзныя праблемы са здароўем і перанёс інсульт у няволі. Яго асудзілі да больш чым sém гадоў калоніі.
02Charges
Charges
07 count- 01Calls for actions aimed at causing harm to national security
- 02Insulting a representative of authority
- 03Insulting the President
- 04Inciting hostility or enmity
- 05Insulting a judge
- 06Slander
- 07Slander against the President
Criminal Code Articles
07 articleArt. BY-361Art. BY-369Art. BY-368Art. BY-130Art. BY-391Art. BY-188Art. BY-367
03Analysis
Predicting Vector
Surveillance vector
Surveillance vectorSocial Media Monitoring
04Timeline
Case Timeline
Arrest date
May 25, 2023
Sentence served
3y 1mo / 7 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: Barys Vitko (PPW case cmmjn9gh). Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://politicalprisonerwatch.org/prisoners/cmmjn9ghv00ec1vyamw4nhzqt. Original data from Viasna Human Rights Centre (https://prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/barys-vitko).
Formats reflect this case as an online database record. Always verify the original source before citing in legal filings.