Nadzeya Kalach
folk rock musician, sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, released after serving full sentence
Date of birth: 2 August 1989
Date of detention: 2 August 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 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Date of release: 21 April 2023
Judge: Aliaksandr Yakunchykhin
Prosecutor: Volha Yemelyanchanka
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Helmut Scholz, member of the European Parliament
Nadzeya Kalach is the lead singer of the IRDORATH folk rock band.
She was detained on August 2, 2021, at a summer house near Minsk, during her birthday party, together with her husband Uladzimir Kalach and other musicians and guests. Some of the detainees were convicted over the next two days in administrative cases of police disobedience, while others, including Nadzeya Kalach, Uladzimir Kalach, Piotr Marchanka, Yuliya Marchanka, and Anton Shnip were arrested on criminal charges under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (Organization or active participation in group actions grossly disrupting public order).
Nadzeya Kalach was remanded in a pre-trial detention center as a suspect.
On December 9, 2021, the Saviecki District Court of Minsk began the trial of Uladzimir and Nadzeya Kalach accused of "organization or active participation in group actions grossly disrupting public order" (Part 1 of Article 342) and "training persons to participate in such actions, as well as financing or other material support of such activities" (Part 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code). The last point was eventually removed by the prosecutor`s assistant during the judicial investigation due to insufficient reasons.
On December 14, 2021, the Saviecki District Court of Minsk handed down a verdict in the criminal case of Uladzimir and Nadzeya Kalach. Judge Aliaksandr Yakunchykhin sentenced Uladzimir Kalach and his wife to 24 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony, as requested by the prosecutor Volha Yemialiyanchanka.
On January 21, 2022, it became known about the transfer of Nadzeya Kalach from remand prison #1 in Minsk to remand prison #3 in Homieĺ.
In late March 2022, she was transferred to penal colony #4 in Homieĺ.
On November 4, 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs included the political prisoner in the "List of persons involved in extremist activities."
On April 21, 2023, the spouses were released having served their full sentences.
Two musicians sentenced to two years in prison
