Car factory worker from Mikhanavichy imprisoned for political statements
Former Minsk Automobile Plant worker Vadim Zhydzis was arrested in March 2026. The man was imprisoned for "inciting hostility."
Vadim Zhydzis. Photo from his VKontakte page
Vadim Zhydzis is 39 years old. He is from Mikhanavichy. For a long time, he worked at the Minsk Automobile Plant. He used to play amateur football. He has a wife and two children.
In his free time, Zhydzis was interested in cars and was an avid metal detecting enthusiast. In the Telegram chats of Mikhanavichy, where he lived, Vadim was a very active user: he frequently discussed everyday housing and utility problems, road repairs, and the assortment in local shops, and also shared photos of his historical finds from the surroundings and talked about fruitful mushroom spots.
He also reacted to manifestations of the "Russian world" in Belarus, condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine and the erection of monuments to Russian figures instead of Belarusian ones.
Vadim was arrested at the end of March 2026 and placed in a pre-trial detention center. He was accused under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code ("intentional actions aimed at inciting social hostility"), which is often used for political repression.
Zhydzis was tried in the Minsk City Court. The exact verdict is unknown, but it seems to be a penal colony — he never reappeared online.
According to calculations by the "Belpol" union of security forces and human rights defenders, as of spring 2026, the names of 9594 people who fell under politically motivated criminal cases were known. According to the same calculations, a total of about 500,000 Belarusians were affected by various political repressions (criminal cases, administrative offenses, dismissals, searches). Several hundred thousand people were forced to leave the country.
The Belarusian authorities consider "extremism" to be subscriptions to independent channels, media, the presence of links to them on social networks, or the presence of Belarusian national symbols on social networks or on personal belongings. "Extremism" also includes almost any criticism of the authorities, official historical narratives, or expressions of solidarity with Ukraine.
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