Political prisoner activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk was sentenced to another year in prison
On October 2, the Rechytski District Court began considering another criminal case against political prisoner activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, sentenced to three years in a penal colony. On October 9, judge Stanislau Ivaniutsenka found the woman guilty of "malicious disobedience to the administration of the colony" (Part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code) and sentenced her to another year of the colony in addition to three years. At the first court hearing, she reported beatings in the Zarechanskaya colony: her face and internal organs were severely damaged.
Palina is a public activist from Brest, who was detained on January 3, 2021. The mother of two minor sons was charged under a number of articles of the Criminal Code: Article 364 (violence against police officers), Article 368 (insulting Lukashenka), and Article 369 (insulting a representative of the authorities). In June 2021, the Court of the Moscow District of Brest sentenced the woman to two years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.
At the end of February 2022, a criminal case was opened against the political prisoner under Part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code, and later she was sentenced to another year in prison. Palina is the first female political prisoner in Belarus convicted under this article.
Upon arrival to the colony, she was placed in a punitive confinement cell ("SHIZO"), where she spent 80 days almost continuously. After that, she was sent to a punishment cell (“PKT”) for six months and a new criminal case was opened under Article 411 of the Criminal Code.
A new case against the woman began to be considered in Rechytsa on October 2.
At her trial, activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk reported beatings and pressure in the penal colony
On October 9, the woman was sentenced to one more year of imprisonment in addition to three years in a penal colony. This decision was made by judge Stanislau Ivaniutsenka. In total, Palina was sentenced to four years of imprisonment in a general security colony.
In her last word, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk compared the events of 2020 in Belarus with the uprising of Kastus Kalinouski, writes Nasha Niva. According to the political prisoner, people who sacrifice themselves for the sake of independence and democracy "will be called heroes in the new Belarus," and those who torture them now are awaiting trial.
"Belarus will definitely be free, but for this we need to fight hard," said Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk.
Support the political prisoner with money transfers, parcels, and telegrams:
Temporary detention facility of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Rechytsa District Executive Committee. 247483, Homielskaja vobl., Rechytsa, vul. Savetskaja, 35
Palina Siarheyeuna Sharenda-Panasiuk
