In her letter written on January 6, the detained journalist Iryna Slaunikava describes how she celebrated the New Year in the detention center. She wrote that she was being optimistic and was feeling good.
“You know that there are a lot of good people here now, so the holiday was celebrated in great company. I hope you celebrated 2022 in good spirits, too. In my letters, I asked everyone to celebrate the holiday properly. We should not lose optimism. Most of the time we are hanging in there. We know that we feel great support from the outside. So I don’t get tired of thanking everyone and answering their letters.
If you have a chance, tell us about what can get here. Of course, the news reaches us, but not as regularly as I would like it to.
I am doing well considering the place and time. Friends and acquaintances are taking very good care of my current well-being. Say hello to all the good people and thank you for your help and support!”
Journalist Iryna Slaunikava together with her husband Alyaksandr Loyka was detained at the National Airport on October 30, immediately after their return from vacation. First, they were both sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest for storage of “extremist materials”, and then accused of disorderly conduct and sentenced to another 15 days.
On 26 November, it emerged that Iryna Slaunikava became a suspect under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (“Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them”).
Belarusian human rights organizations have recognized Iryna Slaunikava as a political prisoner and demanded her release.
