Our imprisoned colleague Darya Chultsova was transferred to the women’s penal colony in the city of Homiel, her mother Natallya Tserabilenka told Belsat after receiving an official message from the prison authorities.
Katsyaryna Andreyeva (Bakhvalava), another convicted contributor to Belsat TV, is also serving her term in this colony.
Before the transfer, Belsat TV contributors Katsyaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsova had been held in the remand prison in Zhodzina over two months; the prison authorities listed them as ‘persons prone to extremism’. In late April, Minsk City Court rejected their appeals, upholding the sentences imposed on them.
You can support our journalists with the help of your letters and telegrams:
Кацярыне Бахвалавай (Андрэевай) / Дар’і Чульцовай
ПК №4, вул. Антошкіна, 3
246035, г. Гомель, Беларусь
Katsyaryna Bakhvalava (Andreyeva) / Darya Chultsova
Penal colony Nr 4, Antoshkin Street 3
246035 Homiel, Belarus
The two Belsatters have been behind bars for over 200 days.
They were arrested on November 15 for broadcasting live a violent dispersal of a rally in memory of murdered protester Raman Bandarenka and the destruction of a national memorial in the so called Square of Change by security forces. They were filming and commenting on what was going on from the apartment on the 14th floor of the house on Smarhouski Trakt Street in Minsk, where they had been invited by the hosts. After the rally, armed riot police broke the door to the apartment and detained the crew. On November 20, they were charged under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order).
Their case was considered in Frunzenski district court of Minsk within three days in February. The investigators claim the Belsat crew ‘coordinated protesters and called for further actions’, but the two media workers were just performing their professional duties by reporting from the scene. Moreover, in accordance with the authorities’ version, the livestream of the journalists resulted in the stoppage of 13 buses, 3 trolleybuses and 3 streetcar routes as well as the damage to the city transport agency Minsktrans (around 11,562 rubles). Public prosecutor Alina Kasyanchyk demanded the girls serve a two-year prison term each and their working equipment be confiscated in profit of the state. The defence lawyers asked the court to acquit the defendants due to the lack of evidence, but judge Natallya Buhuk took heed of the prosecution’s opinion.
On November 24, Belarusian human rights watchdogs recognised Katsyaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsova as political prisoners.
