Volha Klaskouskaya
opposition activist, served full term, released
Date of birth: 30 January 1982
Date of detention: 14 October 2020
Charges indicted:
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Part 2 of Art. 339 of the Criminal Code — Hooliganism committed by a group of persons
Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
Sentence: 2 1/2 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Date of release: 14 December 2022
Judge: Maryna Zapasnik, Maryia Aliferuk
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Godparent: Beate Walter-Rosenheimer, member of the German Bundestag
Volha Klaskouskaya is a former Narodnaya Volya journalist detained on October 14 in Minsk. She is accused of blocking traffic at the intersection of Rakasouski Avenue and Plekhanov Street on the evening of October 13. The protest was held by about 7 people, including Volha Klaskouskaya. They had a fight with one of the drivers. She is accused of committing a crime under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization of group actions that grossly violate public order and caused a disruption of transport).
On December 22, 2020, the Lieninski District Court of Minsk ruled to sentence Volha Klaskouskaya to two years in prison.
While in prison, Klaskouskaya faced new charges under Art. 369 of the Criminal Code for commenting on social media. In a comment posted before her arrest on October 14, 2020, she allegedly insulted a police officer from Brest.
On January 19, 2022, Maskoŭski District Court of Brest considered another criminal case against Volha. The political prisoner refused to take part in the trial, stating that “the trial was illegal and unfair”, and left the hearing with the words “Long live Belarus!”. On January 20, 2022, Judge Maryia Aliferuk sentenced Volha to 1.5 years of home confinement. By adding the terms, Klaskouskaya was sentenced to 2.5 years in a general-regime penal colony.
On March 14, 2022 Brest Regional Court considered the appeal of Volha Klaskouskaya and upheld the verdict.
The political prisoner served her sentence in full and was released on December 14, 2022.
