Tatsiana Lasitsa

human rights activist, volunteer of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, released on pardon

Former prisoner

Date of birth: 24 November 1978

Date of detention: 21 January 2021

Charges indicted:

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

Sentence: 2 1/2 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony

Date of release: 24 September 2022

Judge: Siarhei Salouski

Prosecutor: Yauhen Fartushniak, Kiryl Vyshniakou, Iryna Kurbatskaya

Groups: Human rights defenders

Notes: Pardon / amnesty

Godparent: Kevin Kühnert, member of the German Bundestag

Tatsiana Lasitsa is a human rights activist from Rečyca, a volunteer of the Homieĺ branch of the Human Rights Center "Viasna".

Tatsiana Lasitsa was detained on January 21, 2021 at the Minsk airport by officers of the Interior Ministry.

She was named a suspect in a criminal case under Part 1 and Part 2 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order). She was remanded in custody pending indictment.

On November 3, 2021, the Centraĺny District Court of Homieĺ found Tatsiana Lasitsa guilty of “organizing and preparing actions that grossly violated public order” (Part 1, Article 342 of the Criminal Code), and “training and preparing persons to participate in such actions, as well as their financing or other material support” (Part 2, Article 342 of the Criminal Code). Lasitsa was sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.

On January 14, 2022, judge Mikalai Maratayeu of the Homieĺ Regional Court turned down Lasitsa's appeal, confirming the prison term.

In mid-February 2022, Tatsiana Lasitsa was transferred to penal colony No. 4 in Homieĺ.

On September 24, 2022, Lasitsa was released on pardon. She spent 20 months in custody.

 

“Criminal prosecution of Viasna members is not related to their work,” authorities responded to the UN request

The website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has published the official response of the Belarusian government to the request of four Special Rapporteurs on the search and detention of human rights defenders, NGO representatives, and independent media, which took place in July 2021.

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