Imprisoned political figure Nasta Loiko has been moved to a new correctional facility for a duration of half a year
In a disturbing development, Belarusian human rights defender and member of the organisation Human Constanta, Nasta Loika, is currently serving a prison sentence in the Gomel women's prison. Her imprisonment, which began on October 28, 2022, is part of a broader crackdown on civil society and opposition figures by the Lukashenka regime.
Loika was criminally convicted under politically motivated charges, specifically Article 130, Part 3 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, which pertains to "inciting other social hatred." In June 2023, she was sentenced to seven years in prison, following a trial under two articles - part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code (Participation in group actions grossly violating public order) and part 3 of Article 130 (Inciting hatred).
The conditions in the Gomel women's prison, where Loika is currently held, are not suitable for long-term stays. Reports from an unnamed source suggest that the conditions in the Cell-Type Rooms (CTRs) are harsh, with small spaces that do not allow for privacy or personal space. Loika has been assigned to a CTR for a duration of six months, and her living quarters measure approximately 1.6 by 2.5 meters.
Inside the CTR, two bunks, each for two people, are attached to the walls. These bunks are lowered for sleep from 20:30 to 5:00. Despite these challenging conditions, no official sources have publicly verified the details of the conditions in the women's prison in Gomel.
Loika's imprisonment is emblematic of the systematic repression faced by human rights defenders and opposition members in Belarus. Prior to her current arrest, Loika spent a month in administrative arrests at Okrestina and had only three weeks of freedom. The information about her transfer to the women's prison in Gomel was reported by the initiative Dissident.by.
Loika's case is a stark reminder of the use of criminal charges related to so-called "extremism" or "inciting hatred" to silence peaceful activism. Human rights organisations report that detainees like Loika face arbitrary arrests, denial of fair trial rights, and unreleased information on their conditions, consistent with the broader repression against civil society and opposition members under Lukashenka's regime.
As Loika serves her sentence, the international community continues to call for her release and an end to the repression against human rights defenders and opposition members in Belarus.
The ongoing imprisonment of Nasta Loika, a Belarusian human rights defender, is a troubling aspect of the broader crackdown on civil society and opposition figures by the Lukashenka regime, falling under the category of general news and politics. In line with her conviction on politically motivated charges and harsh living conditions in Gomel women's prison, crime-and-justice and war-and-conflicts discourses could also be applicable, as her case serves as a stark reminder of the use of criminal charges to suppress peaceful activism and silence dissent.
