Volha Petukh

sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment

Prisoner

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

Cases: Gaidukevich case

On the list of “terrorists” (Money transfers are prohibited)

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 PrakopyeuIhar Chamiakin, Dzianis Khamitsevich, Siarhei Lisouski, Piotr Yurkevich, Pavel Chykhinski, Dzianis Filonchyk, Vital Vaitsiakhovich, Anastasiya Vaitsiakhovich, Volha Vaitsiakhovich, Uladzislau Vaitsiakhovich, Uladzimir Saviankou, Dzmitryi Neviarkevich, Mikalai RoiSiarhei Sakalou, Eduard Piastrak, and Aliaksei Mikhailau.

Mail address: Penal colony No. 4. 246035, Homieĺ, vulica Antoshkina 3

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