Human rights activist Rabkova facing new charges


Maryia Rabkova.
Photo: Facebook

Volunteer service of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” reports about new charges brought against activist Maryia Rabkova.

Human rights activist Maryia Rabkova was charged again, as the term for previous one – the financing of riots – was soon to expire. The Investigative Committee has not been able to explain the essence of the claims against Maryia under Part 3 Article 293 of the Criminal Code for 5 months. Now, after a story on state TV published on 11 February she was charged with offence falling under part 3 of article 130 (“incitement to violence”). On 11 February she was charged with another offence falling under part 3 of article 130 (“incitement of social hatred”) and part 2 of article 285 (“participation in a criminal organization”) of the Criminal Code. The human rights activist now faces up to 12 years in prison.

Maryia believes this is done to smear her and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and connects it to the need to keep her behind bars when the preliminary investigation is over.

The human rights defender also refuted the accusations on state television about her alleged previous detentions and accusations. In addition, Maryia stressed that she does not adhere to anarchist views and has no relation to anarchist organizations.

Maryia claims that she is under information attack: instead of answering questions about the hundreds of mutilated Belarusians who were tortured, the authorities concerned are trying to shift attention so that people forget about August 2020 and the reasons for the protests.

Maryia Rabkova was detained on September 17, 2020. She was charged under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code (“training or other preparation of persons to participate in mass riots”). The girl remains in detention center No. 1 in Minsk.

It was also recently reported that the lawyer and member of the Presidium of the Coordinating Council Maksim Znak had been charged again.

belsat.eu

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