I am Vitaly Petrovich Shitikov. On 10.09.2021 I was forced to urgently leave Belarus due to criminal prosecution by the authorities.
Together with other unidentified persons I took an active part in the evening of August 10 in a group action, rudely violating public order, shouting “Zhyve Belarus!”, “Shame”, “Go away!” and clapping their hands. As a result, I was wounded in the left leg with a flash-bang grenade.
On January 21, Novopolotsk court sentenced me to two years in chemistry. I appealed and on March 26th , the court of Vitebsk left the sentence unchanged. On April 29th I came to the place of imprisonment, Gynovichi village, Grodno region. After spending more than a month there I learned that the prosecutor had filed an appeal against the court and demanded a harsher punishment. The same day I was released home and I decided to hide without waiting for the trial, as I knew that this would be the last trial and it would be the harshest.
As a result of the trial of 18.06.2021 I was sentenced to two years and six months in a penal colony. I am still on the run and was a political prisoner at the time of my incarceration.
How much is needed?
1,550 € — housing for the first two months, food and clothing.