Alena Lazarchyk

activist, sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment

Prisoner

Date of birth: 19 July 1974

Date of detention: 30 December 2021

Charges indicted:

  • Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
  • 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 — Incitement to hatred

Sentence: 8 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony

Prison sentence start date: 24 January 2023

Judge: Pavel Klimau

Prison: Penal colony No. 4

Groups: Activists

Notes: Health issues

Cases: Protests in Minsk

Godparent: Nyke Slawik, member of the German Bundestag

On the list of “terrorists” (Money transfers are prohibited)

Alena Lazarchyk is an activist of the European Belarus opposition group. She was detained on December 30, 2021, as a defendant in a criminal case on 'group actions grossly breaching public order' (Article 342 of the Criminal Code). Later, she was also charged with Part 1 of Art. 368 ('Contempt the president of Belarus'), Part 3 of Art. 130 ('Inciting racial, national, religious or other social hatred or enmity'), and Part 1 of Art. 361-1 ('Creation of extremist formation or participation in it').

On January 7, 2022, Lazarchyk was transferred to remand prison #1 in Minsk.

On July 22, 2022, the KGB added Alena Lazarchyk to the 'List of persons involved in terrorist activities'.

In late August, she was transferred to the prison in Mahilioŭ. On September 12, 2022, the trial began in the Mahilioŭ Regional Court. Judge Pavel Klimau decided to hold the court sessions behind closed doors. On September 19, the political prisoner was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. On December 2, the appeal was considered and the sentence was upheld.

It is known that the administration of prison #4 in  Mahilioŭ placed the political prisoner in a punishment cell until December 4 (it is unknown for how long).

On December 9, 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs included the political prisoner into the 'List of citizens of Belarus, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities'.

In January 2023, Alena Lazarchyk was transferred to women's penal colony #4 in Homieĺ. 

The lawyer has not been allowed to visit the political prisoner for a long time. Her relatives have no updates about her health.

It is known that letters have not been received from Alena for two months. This may indicate that she was sent back to a punishment cell (SHIZO).

Mail address: Penal colony No. 4. 246035, Homieĺ, vulica Antoshkina 3

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