Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka has not received letters for a month, his lawyer is not allowed to see him

March 7, BPN. Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, who is serving his sentence in the penal colony Vic’ba 3 near Viciebsk, was not allowed to see his lawyer.

Sudalenka’s wife Aksana Balaščanka told BPN that the lawyer was not allowed to see her husband because the latter was allegedly “busy at work.” He is a woodworker in the penal colony. Balaščanka also found out that her husband has not been receiving letters for a month, including from her and their four sons. She received one letter from him on March 2. Before that, she has not been receiving any letters for a month.

The lawyer will make attempts to gain access to Sudalenka.

On November 3, 2021, the Central District Court of Homiel’ (judge Siarhiej Saloŭski) passed the sentence in the case of Sudalenka and his assistant Tacciana Lasica: three and two and a half years of imprisonment respectively in a general regime penal colony.

The trial was held behind the closed doors. The verdict was announced publicly, but the support group for Sudalenka and Lasica was not allowed into the courtroom.

Sudalenka was accused of “organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order” (Article 342, part 1 of the Criminal Code), and of “educating and training persons to participate in such actions, as well as their financing or other material support” (Article 342, part 2). Tacciana Lasica and volunteer Maryja Tarasenka were charged with complicity under the same parts of Article 342.