Natallia Nikitsina
child therapist, served full term, released
Former political prisoner
Date of birth: 1 July 1970
Date of detention: 29 September 2021
Charges indicted:
- Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
- Art. 130 of the Criminal Code — Incitement to hatred
Sentence: 22 months
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Date of release: 5 January 2023
Judge: Valiantsina Ziankevich
Groups: Doctors
Cases: The Zeltser case
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Mélanie Vogel, member of the French Senate
Natallia Nikitsina is a seasoned psychiatrist and therapist with nearly 30 years of experience. She was detained in Minsk for publishing comments on the Internet in connection with the deaths of IT worker Andrei Zeltser and KGB agent Dzmitry Fedasiuk.
On September 1, 2022, the Minsk Municipal Court found Nikitsina guilty of ‘insulting a government official’ and ‘inciting hatred’ under Articles 369 and 130 of the Criminal Code. Judge Valiantsina Ziankevich sentenced Nikitsina to 22 months of imprisonment and a fine of 6,400 Belarusian rubles (2,500 US dollars).
On January 5, Nikitsina was released from women's colony No. 4 having fully served her term.
Seasoned child therapist sentenced to 21 months behind bars for social media comments
