According to the Telegram channel "Vitebsk, I'm Playing," Sergei Zaitsev was accused of writing two comments about a government official in a Telegram channel deemed "extremist," which the court deemed offensive. It is not known who exactly was offended by the Vitebsk resident's comments.
According to the prosecution, Zaitsev, while in the Russian Federation, posted a text containing a negative assessment of a government official on a Telegram channel deemed "extremist." The defendant also posted a similar insult to another government official in the Vitebsk district.
At the trial, Sergei admitted his guilt but noted that he was unaware that the victims were government officials. Zaitsev reportedly had 11 previous convictions.
As a result, on December 6, 2023, the Vitebsk District Court foundhim guilty and sentenced him to two years and six months' imprisonment and a fine of 50 basic units. By partially combining the sentence imposed under this sentence with the sentence imposed by the Pervomaisky District Court of Vitebsk on June 2, 2023, the final sentence was five years' imprisonment, to be served in a penal colony.
On March 19, 2026, he was pardoned after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole (among a group of 235 prisoners left in Belarus).
