August 17, 2023
Born on June 1, 1982.
Tor Band is a Belarusian band, its music videos for the songs We are not a lesser nation (Мы – не народец); Long Live (Жыве!); Who, if not you?! (Кто, если не ты) have over a million views on YouTube.
Arrested on October 28, 2022, together with members of the Tor Band, Jaŭhien Burło and Andrej Jaremčyk. The musicians were sentenced to 15 days of arrest several times in a row.
In January 2023, Dźmitryj Hałavač, Jaŭhien Burło, and Andrej Jaremčyk were taken to the pre-trial detention center in Homel, and a criminal case was opened against them.
While the musicians were in prison, the band was recognized by the authorities as an “extremist group.”
One of the reports on Dźmitryj Hałavač was made under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for the fact that he wrote an “extremist” song Native land (Родная зямля) and posted it on the Internet. As it is described in the proceedings, “Dźmitryj Hałavač, using a guitar with case and a strap, produced and at the same time stored the audio material Native Land [written in 2020] with the intent of distributing it on a VKontakte community group dedicated to his band. Information goods produced by Tor band is included in the list of extremist materials.”
Dźmitryj Hałavač’s guitar was confiscated following a court order dated November 14, 2022, under Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
Recognized as a political prisoner on February 27, 2023.
On October 31, 2023, the Homel Regional Court issued a verdict in the criminal cases against the Tor Band musicians. According to Art. 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus), Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code (creation of an extremist formation or participation in it), Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (inciting enmity or discord), and Art. 369.1 of the Criminal Code (discrediting the Republic of Belarus) Dźmitry Hałavač was sentenced to 9 years in a high-security penal colony, 100 penalty units, and his laptop and mobile phone were confiscated.
Mail address: Dźmitryj Hałavač, PC No. 1, 211440, Navapolatsk, vul. Tekhnichnaya, 8.