MEP Warns Lukashenka's Enforcers

• 29.05.2024, 9:43

She called for the immediate release of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk.

Isabel Santos, a member of the European Parliament from Portugal, demanded the immediate release of a political prisoner, activist of the European Belarus Civil Campaign Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk.

Charter97.org knows that Isabel Santos sent letters to Prosecutor General Andrei Shved, Chairman of the Investigative Committee Dzmitry Hora, and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Kubrakou.

Isabel Santos reminded the enforcers that Palina is the mother of two minor children. The MEP noted that Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk has been continuously imprisoned since the beginning of 2021, and that even taking into account two additional sentences, the term of imprisonment expired on May 21, 2024. Isabel Santos called for a review of the decision to initiate a new criminal case and the immediate release of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk.

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk was detained on January 3, 2021. After the initial two-year sentence, the political prisoner was twice sentenced to an additional term of one year under Article 411 of the Criminal Code "Malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of the correctional institution".

The term of imprisonment expired on May 21, 2024, but instead of release, a new criminal case was opened against Palina under the same Article 411 of the Criminal Code.

During her imprisonment, the Belarusian political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk was held in a punishment cell in torture conditions for months, went through numerous stages, was sent for a long psychiatric examination, was subjected to pressure and bullying by the administration, was beaten by recidivist prisoners. Palina is completely isolated. In the prison, the activist of the European Belarus suffered a serious deterioration in her health.