Another trial of the political prisoner and union activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk started in the Rechitsk District Court on October 14, 2024. She is charged under Article 411 of the RB CC — “deliberate disregard of penitentiary administration’s demands”. The Judge Stanislau Ivaniuchenka who already sentenced Palina to an extra year behind bars last year is hearing the case again.
Palina faces yet another year in prison on top of almost four she has already spent in jail.
“Palina has been transferred to the same place they put her in last year. This isolation cell is not used for those who wait for their trial. Mattresses and bed linen are not issued, making you sleep on the metal stripes, and Palina has a backache, so she has to spend the nights on the floor. This is an abuse, their idea of mockery on a day when Belarus celebrates its national holiday, the Mother’s Day! While a mother of two has not seen her kids for over three years now and suffers greatly in atrocious conditions. This is a shame to all!” says Andrei Sharenda, describing his wife’s situation to svaboda.org.
According to Andrei, his wife has no hopes for a fair trial. The two previous trials under the same charges ended up extending her prison term by one year in each case.
“I think it’ll be the same, only last year the trial took a whole week and this time they could wrap it all up in a couple of days. Even the Judge is the same – Stanislau Ivaniuchenka”, pointed out Andrei Sharenda.
The husband of the political prisoner is also worried about her health.
“We know that she has constant abdominal pains and backaches but there is no other information. The penitentiary reports that she gets the “necessary treatment” but I don’t trust their information”, said Andrei about the state of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk’s health.
On May 23, 2024, Palina was to be released, having served 2.5 years in jail. However, two more sentences of one year each were added by the court, allegedly, for “deliberate disregard of penitentiary administration’s lawful demands”.
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