Nikita Valerievich Samarin
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Nikita Valerievich Samarin
Nikita was arrested for spraying gas in the face of a riot police officer while he was trying to protect a person at a protest. He was beaten, had his hair cut with a knife, and had gas sprayed in his face. In December 2020, he was sentenced to four years of restricted freedom, but the prosecutor later succeeded in increasing the sentence to two and a half years in prison. Nikita did not appear in court, relaying through a friend that arbitrary detentions were planned in the courtroom, threatening him and others.
Was in forced exile.
At the end of March 2025, it became known that Nikita, who had been hiding from the verdict for four years at that time, was detained in Grodno. As reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the man was stopped, he did not have documents with him, so he was asked to go to the station. Nikita resisted the police officers and, allegedly, broke the arm of one of them. It is reported that the man was wanted for allegedly "spraying a gas canister in the face of law enforcement officers" in August 2020. A criminal case was opened against him for this. He left the country, but then illegally returned to Belarus.
Since May 13, 2025, there has been no information about the political prisoner. Correspondence and parcels to him are prohibited. There is also no information about Nikita's case and the court date. In addition, it is reported that the investigator in the political prisoner's case is prohibited from informing Nikita's relatives and friends about the status and progress of the case.
How to write a letter
✏️ A postcard with words of encouragement (a poem by your favorite author, song lyrics, or a beautiful quote). Trust us, even such simple gestures are very meaningful to a person in jail.
✏️ Your life events. To a person who is in isolation for a long time, any story about your routine endeavors will be a window into normal life. Your day-to-day worries and mundane matters are much more interesting than the daily grind of life behind bars.
✏️ It is important to share news. Mention the most notable and interesting occurrences depending on your pen-pal's interests.
✍️️ Remember that every letter is censored. This means that your letters are read by strangers whose main goal is to limit inmates' access to information or to use it against the prisoners or even you.
So try to avoid:
👉️️ harsh statements regarding ongoing political matters
👉 statements against the authorities and public servants
👉 foul language
👉 discussion of the circumstances of the criminal case
Involved in repression
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