As part of our #WeStandBYyou campaign, Antoņina Ņenaševa (PROGRESĪVIE, Latvia), Helmut Brandstätter (European Parliament, NEOS/Renew Europe, Austria) and Bill Kidd (Scottish National Party, Scotland) are taking over a godparenthood for Anastasiya Pakatashkina, Aliaksandr Ihnatsiuk and Nadzeya Laptsionak.

Antoņina Ņenaševa

Anastasiya Pakatashkina is an SEO manager and was arrested as part of criminal proceedings for financing terrorist activities (Art. 290.1). The case was later reclassified under Article 361.2 of the Criminal Code (‘financing the activities of an extremist formation’). A trial was scheduled for 5 December 2023 at the Minsk City Court. The exact verdict is unknown. On 23 February 2024, she was added to the list of so-called extremist persons by Lukashenko’s Interior Ministry.

Antoņina Ņenaševa is a member of the Latvian PROGRESĪVIE party. She is supporting the political prisoners in Belarus for the second time, this time in favour of Anastasiya, pointing out that her arrest is politically motivated: “There are still illegal prosecutions happening in Belarus. Anastasiya Pakatashkina is a political prisoner in Belarus. She was wrongfully detained under Article 290-1 of the Criminal Code (“financing of terrorist activities”). She is not a criminal, but someone who took part in the resistance.”

Helmut Brandstätter

Aliaksandr Ihnatsiuk is a freelance journalist. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he published an independent regional newspaper and was its editor-in-chief. In 2003, Ihnatsiuk was convicted under Article 369, after which the newspaper was suspended several times by the regime, resulting in its closure. Ihnatsiuk then founded a website, which operated until recently.

In July 2023, he was arrested on charges under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (support for extremist activities). On 15 March 2024, the first trial was held before the court under the following articles of the Criminal Code: “Violation of public order” (Art. 342), “Insulting the president” (Art. 368) and “Blackmail” (Art. 208.2). The verdict was announced on 5 April 2024 – the political prisoner was sentenced to six years in a penal colony with a strict regime and a fine. The trial was held in closed session. On 7 June 2024, he was added to the ‘list of extremists’ by the Ministry of the Interior. It is known that the blogger works in the colony as a woodworker and has lost a lot of weight during his imprisonment.

Helmut Brandstätter is an Austrian politician and a Member of the European Parliament. This is the second time he has taken over the godparenthood for a Belarusian political prisoner. When taking over the godparenthood for Aliaksandr, the MEP said: “The regime in Belarus imprisons journalists like Aliaksandr Ihnatsiuk because it is afraid of the truth. His conviction is politically motivated, his only “crime” is his journalistic work. I strongly condemn this arbitrariness and call for his immediate release. Dictators like Lukashenka must not be allowed to silence people undisturbed – Europe must look and act.”

Bill Kidd

Nadzeya Laptsionak was charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code: “Incitement to hatred” (Art. 130), “Endangering national security” (Art. 361), “Insulting the President” (Art.368), “Insulting a government official” (Art. 369), “Incitement to hatred” (Art. 130) and “Insulting a judge” (Art. 391). Nadzeya  was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and a fine. According to the verdict, from July 2021 to January 2023, Nadzeya posted at least 3,033 messages and comments in Telegram chats classified as extremist by the regime, criticising Lukashenko, judges and regime officials. Nadzeya has two adult daughters and a minor son with a disability. On 29 March 2024, she was added to the ‘list of extremists’ and then to the ‘list of terrorists’ by the Ministry of the Interior.

Bill Kidd (Scottish National Party) stands in solidarity with Nadzeya Laptsionak as her godparent and stands firm: “I am glad to join the Libereco campaign to support Belarusian political prisoners, and to support Nadzeya Laptsionak. Her sentencing of six years in prison is a demonstration of the fear and inhumanity of the rule of the dictator, Alexander Lukashenko. I’m pleased to join with all of the other parliamentarians across Europe who call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Belarus, including Nadzeya.”