Political Prisoner Viktoryia Kulsha To Be Tried For The Third Time

For "disobedience to the administration."

On October 8, the Rechyitsa District Court will hear a criminal case against political prisoner Viktoryia Kulsha. She is accused of "malicious disobedience to the administration" for the third time, Viasna in Homel writes.

The case will be heard by Stanislav Ivanyutenko, who issued the previous verdict in Viktoryia's case.

Recall that Viktoryia Kulsha was the administrator of the "Drivers 97%" Telegram channel. In November 2020, she and other defendants were detained and charged with organizing protests (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code). On June 4, 2021, the court sentenced her to two and a half years in prison.

But in the Gomel colony, Viktoryia was constantly given penalties for some violations, placed in a punishment cell, deprived of visits, placed in a PKT for two months, and eventually a new case was opened under Part 1 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code. At the time of the trial, she should have had less than six months left before her release. But she was found guilty of "malicious disobedience" to the colony employees. The court completely agreed with the prosecution and sentenced Viktoryia Kulsha to an additional year of imprisonment. The appeal yielded nothing.

After that, the woman was transferred to IK-24 in Zarechcha. There she was again thrown into a punishment cell, sent to a cell-type room for six months. According to human rights activists, the guards often insulted and humiliated Viktoryia, there was a known case when one of them strangled the woman and dragged her around the cell. Kulsha went on a hunger strike several times in protest.

As a result, she was again charged with disobedience. Thus, Viktoryia Kulsha became the first female political prisoner to be tried twice under this article. At the time of the trial, Viktoryia had seven months left before her release. She was sentenced to another year in prison, after partial addition, the remaining term was 1 year and 5 months. And the woman's entire term increased from the original 2.5 to 4.5 years. Viktoryia Kulsha appealed again, but it was again unsuccessful.

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