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Sergei Dylevsky

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Sergei Dylevsky
Сяргей Дылеўскі
Сергей Дылевский
Dylevsky in 2020
Born (1989-09-01) 1 September 1989 (age 35)
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union (now Belarus)
CitizenshipBelarus
OccupationEngineer
Known forActivist, dissident

Sergei A. Dylevsky (Belarusian: Сяргей Дылеўскі; Russian: Сергей Дылевский; born 1 September 1989) is a Belarusian engineer and, as of 22 August 2020, a member of the presidium of the Coordination Council that aims to coordinate a transition of political power in Belarus in the context of the 2020 Belarusian protests and the 2020 Belarusian presidential election.[1]

Early years

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Dylevsky was born on 1 September 1989, in Minsk to working-class parents, who, as of 2020, were employees at Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ). He studied machine construction at a technical college in Minsk, and chose to become a steel temperer.[1]

2020 election protests

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Following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election and continuing 2020 Belarusian protests in early August 2020, Dylevsky was angered by security forces' violent crackdown on protestors. He drove several protestors to hospitals and called for a strike at Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ). He was joined in the strike by workers calling for political prisoners to be release and for new elections, leading a group of 1,000 workers on a march to the centre of Minsk.[1]

On 17 August, Dylevksy led a march of 5,000 striking MTZ workers.[2] The next day, Dylevksy stated that 50 people demonstrating in front of MTZ to support the workers were detained.[3] On the 19th, Dylevsky was chosen as one of the members of the presidium of the Coordination Council, which aims to coordinate a transition of political power from president Alexander Lukashenko who claims to have won the 9 August 2020 Belarusian presidential election.[4] On the 20th, Alexander Konyuk, the Prosecutor-General of Belarus, initiated criminal proceedings against the members of the Coordination Council under Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, on the grounds of attempting to seize state power and harming national security.[5][6]

By 21 August, Dylevsky had become a "political star" according to the New York Times. Dylevsky stated that he considered the Belarusian industrial system to be inefficient and that the lack of oligarchs in Belarus was "far from being an achievement", since it meant that "sound" business people did not wish to invest in Belarus. Dylevsky stated that politics would be "the last thing [that he] would like to do" and then stated his intention to remove Lukashenko from power.[1] He considers Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to be the legitimate president of Belarus.[2] He argued that "Most of all, Lukashenko fears the factory workers' protest, so he tries to scare strike organisers and stop the strikes."[4]

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On 21 August 2020, Dylevsky and fellow presidium member Maxim Znak entered the premises of the Investigative Committee of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus (KGB) for interrogation; they were later released.[7][1][4]

On 24 August 2020, Dylevsky was detained by the security services along with fellow presidium member Olga Kovalkova whilst they both attempted to support striking workers at the Minsk Tractor Works factory.[8][9][10] He was sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment the following day.[11][12][13]

As of 27 August 2020, Dylevsky's lawyer has been unable to meet with him.[14][15] On 21 September 2020 he was released from prison.[16] In October 2020, Dylevsky left Belarus to resettle in Warsaw.[17]

In March 2023, Dylevsky was convicted to 12 years in prison in absentia. Tsikhanouskaya and several other leaders of the 2020 protests were convicted in absentia on the same day.[18]

Awards and recognitions

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In December 2020, Dylevsky was named among the representatives of the Democratic Belarusian opposition, honored with the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Nechepurenko, Ivan (21 August 2020). "Laying Down His Tools, Belarus Worker Takes Up Mantle of Protest Leader". New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Belarus leader: Ready to share power, but not under pressure". Al Jazeera English. 17 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  3. ^ Karmanau, Yuras (19 August 2020). "Belarus' Leader Warns of Tough New Steps Against Protesters". Time. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Belarusians 'will never accept current leadership': Tikhanovskaya". Al Jazeera English. 21 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  5. ^ "МАЯ КРАІНА БЕЛАРУСЬ". Telegram.
  6. ^ "Belarus Opens Criminal Probe Against Oppositions Coordination Council- Prosecutor General". UrduPoint.
  7. ^ "Belarus strikes must continue and grow, opposition leader says". BBC News. 21 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Belarus holds opposition figures after mass rally". BBC News. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  9. ^ hermesauto (24 August 2020). "Belarus detains two members of opposition council". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Belarus Detains Two Members of Opposition Council". The New York Times. Reuters. 24 August 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Belarus jails second opposition member for 10 days". The Star.
  12. ^ Makhovsky, Andrei (26 August 2020). "Belarus jails two opposition leaders; teachers head rally of thousands" – via www.reuters.com.
  13. ^ "Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps".
  14. ^ "Белсат". Telegram.
  15. ^ "Кулуары KYKY". Telegram.
  16. ^ "Глава стачкома МТЗ Сергей Дылевский вышел на свободу после 25 суток ареста: Что он рассказал".
  17. ^ "Belarus Opposition Leader Gives Lukashenko Ultimatum to Resign".
  18. ^ "Borrell describes sentences to Belarusian opposition activists as absurd". Interfax-Ukraine. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Belarusian opposition receives 2020 Sakharov Prize". European Parliament. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
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