Political Prisoner Mikita Zalatarou’s Father Tried For Fourth Time In A Row

• 25.09.2023, 17:29

The man has been behind bars for 45 days.

Mikhail Lapunou, the father of political prisoner Mikita Zalatarou, is tried again in Homel, this is his fourth trial in a row. The man has already spent 45 days behind bars, writes Viasna Homel.

On the eve of his release after serving the third administrative arrest in a row, the father of political prisoner Mikhail Lapunov was re-arrested. Judge of the Central District Court of Homel Siarhei Karmanovich found him guilty of committing an offense. The man was sent to jail for the fourth time in a row.

Before this, the father of the political prisoner was accused three times under Part 1 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (“distribution of extremist materials”).

Human rights activists have not yet reported what decision the court made. Earlier, Mikhail Lapunou had already been punished three times with 15 days of arrest. If the last trial ended with the same decision, the arrested person will have to spend 60 consecutive days behind bars.

Mikhail’s son, Mikita Zalatarou, is one of the youngest detained after the 2020 protests. At that time, 16-year-old Mikita, who had epilepsy, was accused under three articles of the Criminal Code and sentenced to 5 years in a juvenile colony. Later, another criminal case was opened against the guy — for allegedly attacking a pre-trial detention center employee and threatening his family. The total sentence for Mikita was 4 years and 6 months in prison.