Open Russia activist became a suspect in the case of unrest in Minsk

Open Russia activist Artem Vazhenkov is in a temporary detention center in Minsk, facing up to 15 years in prison on charges of mass unrest. MBKH Media and RIA Novosti reported this with reference to lawyer Anton Gashinsky.

“Vazhenkov is a suspect in a case of mass riots. The sanction under this article provides for from eight to 15 years in prison,” Gashinsky said.

Open Russia activists Artem Vazhenkov and Igor Rogov, detained in Minsk, were supposed to be released on August 11, but only Rogov was released. He left for Russia.

“There is no difference between them [Vazhenkov and Rogov], they just managed to grab one, but not the other,” Gashinsky said. “[Vazhenkov] will not go to Russia yet; he will most likely go to a pre-trial detention center” (quote from RIA Novosti).

• On August 11, the Belta agency published a video with “detained provocateurs” whom the Belarusian Investigative Committee suspected of participating in mass riots. Among those detained were Vazhenkov and Rogov.
• Open Russia activists came to Minsk as election observers and then disappeared. In the video published by Belta, they said that they came to Minsk to rest.