Minsk school prank turns violent, leaving teen with ruptured spleen
A classroom prank in Minsk escalated into a serious assault, leaving one teenager hospitalised with severe injuries. The attacker, a fellow student, admitted his guilt and received a suspended sentence with mandatory labour.
The incident began when a teacher briefly stepped out of the classroom. One pupil pulled a chair from under a classmate, who nearly fell. The victim chose not to retaliate at first.
Moments later, the same attacker targeted the boy again, shoving him to the floor. In response, the victim shoved and kicked back. The confrontation turned violent when the aggressor struck the victim hard enough to rupture his spleen. The injured teen required emergency surgery and remained in hospital for treatment. The attacker, who had no prior criminal record, was charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm. A court sentenced him to one year and six months of home confinement, alongside mandatory correctional labour. Additionally, his family paid the victim 6,000 rubles in compensation for moral damages. No broader trends in school violence in Belarus have been documented in recent years. However, the Ministry of Education has announced an anti-bullying programme set to launch in September 2026.
The case resulted in a conviction and financial compensation for the victim. Authorities have not linked the incident to wider patterns of school violence, though new anti-bullying measures are planned. The attacker will serve his sentence under house arrest while performing court-ordered labour.
