Singer Who Refused Scholarship Placed In Remand Prison

Patrytsyja Svitsina will be tried in a criminal case.

Singer Patrytsyja Svitsina, who turned down the Lukashenka scholarship, has been placed in pre-trial detention, reports Viasna.

The video of security forces with the detained girl appeared on May 18. She says in it that she'd been a winner of the scholarship to support talented young people. In 2020, she says, she "took part in protests", "went out on the road" and as part of a convoy "blocked the traffic".

She is also accused of publishing "negative messages" on social media about the security forces, the war and allegedly of "inciting enmity and hatred between Slavic peoples".

According to human rights defenders, Patrytsyja Svitsina has been transferred to Zhodzina, according to preliminary information, she is charged with "people's" Article 342 of the Criminal Code.