Valeryia Barysauna Kastsiuhova
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Valeryia Barysauna Kastsiuhova
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Valeria is a political scientist, founder and editor of the website of the expert community "Our Opinion," author and editor of the "Belarusian Yearbook," and head of the expert monitoring group "Belarus in Focus."
On June 30, 2021, following a search of her home by KGB officers, Valeria was detained and placed in a detention center, later transferred to a pretrial detention center.
On February 6, 2023, the court began hearing her case on charges of "aiding and abetting actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions harmful to national security," and "inciting social discord." On March 17, 2023, the court, behind closed doors, sentenced Valeria to 10 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.
She was released on March 20, 2026, as part of a pardon following another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole.
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
