Volha Petukh
sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment
Date of birth: 11 April 1993
Date of detention: 13 August 2021
Charges indicted:
Art. 364 of the Criminal Code — Violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies
Art. 357 of the Criminal Code — Conspiracy to seize power in an unconstitutional way
Art. 295-3 of the Criminal Code — Illegal actions in relation to objects which action is based on use of combustible substances
Art. 289 of the Criminal Code — An act of terrorism
Art. 359 of the Criminal Code — Terrorist act against a state official or public figure
Sentence: 10 years
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Judge: Siarhei Khrypach
Prison: Penal colony No. 4
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Volha Petukh worked as an art director at the Europe Hotel in Minsk. She was arrested as a defendant in the case of the attempted arson of the house of Aleh Haidukevich, a pro-government parliament member.
According to the indictment, from July 14, 2020, to January 6, 2022, "an organized criminal group was created and operated on the territory of Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, and other states, with the main purpose to commit an unspecified number of extremism-oriented crimes. The crimes were to be carried out by persons who are radically inclined towards the current government, including former military personnel, law enforcement officers, primarily those from the special forces units, hand-to-hand combat athletes, businessmen, and others who shared the views of the seizure of state power by unconstitutional means".
On June 21, 2023, the Minsk City Court announced the verdict. There were 18 defendants in the case, 15 of whom were in custody, and three were convicted in absentia. The trial lasted for four and a half months. Judge Siarhei Khrypach sentenced Volha Petukh to 10 years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.
17 more political prisoners were convicted in the case: Vadzim Prakopyeu, Ihar Chamiakin, Dzianis Khamitsevich, Siarhei Lisouski, Piotr Yurkevich, Pavel Chykhinski, Dzianis Filonchyk, Vital Vaitsiakhovich, Anastasiya Vaitsiakhovich, Volha Vaitsiakhovich, Uladzislau Vaitsiakhovich, Uladzimir Saviankou, Dzmitryi Neviarkevich, Mikalai Roi, Siarhei Sakalou, Eduard Piastrak, and Aliaksei Mikhailau.
