For What Political Prisoner Viktoria Kulsha Was Convicted For The Fourth Time
11- 21.06.2025, 18:08
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A prisoner of conscience refused to star in a propaganda video.
Radiye Svaboda has learned on what grounds 43-year-old political prisoner Viktoria Kulsha was given an additional year of imprisonment for the fourth time.
This information was shared by former political prisoner, activist of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk with reference to an informed source in penal colony № 24 (Zarechye, Rechitsa district).
"Sat on the floor," "didn't say hello," "stole a needle from the factory" - such violations were mentioned in the case of political prisoner Viktoria Kulsha, who was sentenced to another year of imprisonment on June 11. For almost five years of imprisonment the woman has been tried four times under Article 411 of the Criminal Code on "malicious disobedience to the administration of the penitentiary institution.
After the trial, which took place in Svetlahorsk, the political prisoner was returned to Homel pre-trial detention center.
According to Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk, the case against Viktoria Kulshe was "sucked out of a finger".
"She was offered several times to star in propaganda videos, asked to repent and denounce other political prisoners, but she refuses. She doesn't make concessions, even though she realizes that she may not be able to endure a new sentence," believes Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk.
The former political prisoner refers to her own experience of serving time in colony No. 24 in Zarechye.
"For such minor violations, which were attributed to her in the case, ordinary prisoners are not always sent there even to a SHIZO. But the attitude towards political prisoners is different, they are clung to, every step is under control, any little thing, like a needle, without which a woman in the colony simply can't live, can become a crime. But the reason is not in violation of some domestic rules. I think Victoria can't forgive her for refusing to cooperate," believes Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk.
According to the former political prisoner, on June 11, employees of the women's colony №24 Dmitry Samanchuk, Denis Nikonenko and Sergei Kapyrin testified against Victoria Kulsha at the trial.
"First they drew up fictitious reports, and then repeated them in court. They formed such a 'brigade' there to fulfill any orders from their superiors," says the interviewee.
The case against Kulshe was supported by prosecutor Tatiana Khrestyuk, and the political prisoner was tried by Svetlogorsk city court judge Alexander Volodko, who has previously appeared in political trials.
"Her health is deteriorating"
A knowledgeable source, cited by Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk, reports that Viktoria Kulshe's health continues to deteriorate.
"On the eve of the trial, she was on hunger strike for a month, although she was already feeling very bad. She has problems with gynecology, diagnosed mastopathy of mammary glands, thyroid cyst. In addition, in the cold cells of the SHIZO and SCT she got cold joints in her legs, she also suffers from pelvic pain and has to wear extra clothes. She receives regular injections, but it is not known whether she has enough medicine, because it is impossible to hand over medicines in the pre-trial detention facility without authorization. She asks for help, appeals to the international community to help her release," said former political prisoner Polina Sharendo-Panasiuk.
Viktoria Kulsha is 43 years old, she is from Minsk, worked as a labor protection engineer. On November 4, 2020, Kulsha was detained for administering the telegram chat "Drivers 97% Minsk".
In February 2021, Viktoria was convicted under part 1 and part 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code ("active participation in actions that grossly violate public order") for 2.5 years in a penal colony and sent to Homel women's colony #4. After the first trial under Article 411 in 2022, Viktorya Kulsha was transferred to colony No. 24 in Zarechye, Rechitsa district, Homel region.