Mikhail Lapunou
Prisoner
Date of detention: 8 August 2023
Charges indicted:
- Art. 361-1 of the Criminal Code — Creation of an extremist formation, or participation in it
- Art. 361-4 of the Criminal Code — Promoting extremist activities
Sentence: unknown
Judge: Alesia Osipava
Prison: Pre-trial detention center No. 3
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Lord Leslie Griffiths of Burry Port is a Labour member in the House of Lords
Mikhail Lapunou is the father of political prisoner Mikita Zalatarou. Mikhail was detained on August 8, 2023 and sentenced to 15 days of arrest under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (distribution of extremist materials). After the first arrest, he was not released from jail and was sentenced under the same article to another 15 days, and then to another 15 days.
On September 22, 2023, before his release after serving his third consecutive administrative detention, Mikhail was found guilty again and sent to prison for the fourth time.
The final term of Mikhail's fourth administrative arrest was scheduled to terminate on October 9, 2023. But on October 18 he received his fifth consecutive administrative arrest in the court of the Central District of Homieĺ under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (distribution of extremist materials). Judge Alesya Osipava sentenced Mikhail to 15 days of administrative arrest.
On October 23, 2023 Mikhail was convicted in the Tsentralny District Court of Homieĺ. He was again charged under Article 19.11 (distribution of extremist materials). The trial was presided over by Judge Tatsiana Volkava. The verdict is still unknown, but Mikhail was not released.
On November 3, 2023 another trial was held against Mikhail under Article 19.11 in the Tsentralny District Court of Homieĺ. Judge Viktar Kazachok sentenced him to 15 days. For Mikhail, who has been held in temporary custody for three months, this is the seventh consecutive arrest.
