Antanina Kavaliova
United Civic Party member, sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment, released after serving full sentence
Former prisoner
Date of birth: 12 April 1959
Date of detention: 27 July 2022
Charges indicted:
- Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Sentence: 1 year
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Prison sentence start date: 16 February 2023
Date of release: 22 April 2023
Judge: Anastasiya Kulik
Prosecutor: Ina Zubko
Groups: Activists, Lawyers and attorneys
Cases: Protests in Minsk
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Véronique Guillotin, Member of the French Senate
Antanina Kavaliova is a lawyer. She graduated from the Belarusian State University and worked as a legal counsel, a notary, and a chief specialist at the Ministry of Justice.
Since 2002, Antanina Kavaliova has been a member of the United Civic Party (UCP). She worked on the executive committee and headed the Commission on Legal Affairs of the UCP National Committee for two years. In 2012, Kavaliova was elected the Deputy Chairwoman of the United Civic Party. Later she left that post.
"I always considered myself a dissident rather than a politician, since for me the moral position and principles are more important than political expediency. The United Civil Party puts a person´s interests, rights and freedoms above the interests of the state. This is recorded in the party´s Charter and proclaimed as a basic value in the UCP strategic plan for 2012-2016, adopted by the XIV UCP Congress. This coincides with my position as a citizen, a lawyer, and a human rights defender. The UCP is my team," she said after his appointment as the UCP deputy chairwoman.
On July 27, 2022, Kavaliova was arrested along with the other United Civic Party leaders.
The trial of the United Civic Party leaders started on November 1, 2022. On November 3, 2022, the Pieršamajski District Court of Minsk convicted Aksana Aliakseyeva, Mikalai Kazlou, and Antanina Kavaliova. She was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. Soon she was transferred from remand prison #1 in Minsk to remand prison #3 in Homieĺ.
On January 31, 2023, the Minsk City Court considered the appeal of UCP leaders. Judge Zhanna Brysina uphold the sentence and dismissed the complaint.
In mid-February 2023, Antanina Kavaliova was transferred from the remand prison to penal colony #4 in Homieĺ.
The political prisoner served her full sentence and was released on April 22, 2023.
United Civic Party leaders sentenced to up to 30 months in jail
