Twice Tried In Prison: Political Prisoner Viktoria Kulsha's Case Development
- 20.04.2023, 10:23
Relatives note that she holds strong during the hearings.
The former administrator of the Drivers 97% protest Telegram channel Viktoria Kulsha has filed an appeal against the next, third in a row, guilt verdict and is waiting for its consideration in the Correctional Colony No. 24, according to Radio Liberty.
“I should have been lying on the floor. It's good that they gave me a mattress,” Viktoria told her relatives about her previous stay in the Rechytsa detention centre. It was in early April, during her trial, which took place right in the colony. The relatives do not know about the political prisoner and her confinement conditions.
The last trial of the political prisoner
“She reacted courageously to the new accusation, in the last word she disputed the evidence, but one could still hear that her voice was trembling. She skipped a whole paragraph because she was excited. She said that they can accuse her of violating Article 411 [disobedience to the administration - Ed.] again and again,” relatives said about Viktoria Kulsha’s speech in the court.
Earlier, human rights activists found out that her health had deteriorated. According to the sources, Viktoria's health is still of great concern.
“It was clear that she had lost a lot of weight. Her weight is 55 kg now, but it was 20 kg more before the arrest. Her health has not improved, she's still suffering from her previous disease. But he does not lose vigor, and this is the main thing, ”the interlocutor says.
Viktoria Kulsha is 38 years old, she is from Minsk. At large, the woman worked as a labour protection engineer. Viktoria was arrested in November 2020 and accused of “organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order”. In June 2021, together with other administrators of the Drivers 97% Telegram channel, the woman was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and sent to serve her sentence in the Homiel colony No. 4.
Viktoria Kulsha was convicted again in June 2022. Then the woman was accused of "malicious disobedience to the lawful requirements of the administration of the correctional institution" (Article 411 of the Criminal Code) and added to another year of captivity. In August 2022, she was transferred to the Penal Colony No 24 in Zarechcha, near Rechytsa. This is the colony for repeat criminal offenders.
According to the Viasna HRC, they are putting pressure against the political prisoner again. According to the human rights activists, she served at least 92 days in a punishment cell and six months in a cell-type facility. They've allegedly found a white and red hairpin in her personal belongings creating the grounds to punish her with one more term in a punishment cell. Soon after that, the representatives of the penal colony No 24 initiated a new criminal case against Viktoria Kulsha under Article 411 of the Criminal Code, and during the investigation, they transferred her to the Homiel pre-trial detention center No 3. There, Viktoria Kulsha held a hunger strike protesting for two weeks.
Relatives of the convict associate the fact that she lost a lot of weight, not only with this.
“They twice reduced her right to buy goods in a prison shop when Viktoria was in a cell-type room. As a result, she had to spend almost all the money, only 32 rubles a month, on hygiene products, which they do not give out in the correct quantity and quality. So, there was almost nothing left for food. It also happened that some of the products that were sent to her through parcels simply did not reach her,” the relatives of the political prisoner said.
Colony No 24 held a circuit court. Viktoria Kulsha was sentenced to one more year in prison under Part 1 of Art. 411 of the Criminal Code. Thus, in total, she has already received a sentence of 4.5 years in prison. The political prisoner again pleaded not guilty and also appealed another verdict.