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Student sentenced to 6.5 years in Belarus for reposting Putin and Lukashenko criticism

The Insider

A 20-year-old student Danuta Perednya has been sentenced by the Kirovsk district court in the Mahiliou region of Belarus to 6.5 years in prison for reposting a text criticizing Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko for unleashing war in Ukraine, the Mayday Team Telegram channel reports.

The student was accused of “actions aimed at harming the national interests of the Republic of Belarus” (Part 3 Article 361 of the Criminal Code) and insulting Lukashenko (Part 1 Article 368 of the Criminal Code).

On February 28th, 2022, the day after the repost the student was detained by law enforcers when she arrived by bus from Kirovsk to Mahiliou. Perednya was studying at the A.A. Kuleshov Mahiliou State University. She was expelled from the university after the criminal case against her was opened.

On June 10th, the State Security Committee added Perednya to the list of “persons involved in terrorist activities.”

Belarusian human rights activists have recognized Perednya as a political prisoner.