Belarusian Physicist Jailed Under Extremism Laws for Non-Violent Acts

Victor Havrylovets, a 39-year-old physicist from Belarus, has been sentenced to house arrest on charges of 'facilitating extremist activities'. The case highlights the country's broad interpretation of extremism, which often includes actions like sharing independent media or displaying national symbols.

Born in the village of Milashevichi in the Lelchitsy District, Havrylovets graduated from Belarusian State University (BSU) in 2008 with degrees in physics and economic cybernetics. He later worked as a research fellow at BSU's Radiation Safety Sectoral Laboratory, specialising in mathematical modelling of radiation effects in crystals. His work has earned over 3,000 citations in international journals, with one co-authored paper cited nearly 1,100 times.

Havrylovets also contributed to the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project, focusing on how particles move through bent crystals. Beyond physics, he played an active role in the open-source community, helping translate and adapt software like Ubuntu, Inkscape, and GNOME into Belarusian.

The Minsk City Court convicted him under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of Belarus's Criminal Code. Instead of imprisonment, he received 'domashnyaya khimiya'—a form of strict house arrest with severe restrictions.

The sentence follows a pattern where Belarusian authorities use expansive extremism laws to target individuals for non-violent actions. Havrylovets' case adds to concerns over academic freedom and digital rights in the country. His work in physics and open-source projects remains widely recognised despite the legal outcome.