Belarusian Human Rights Defender Nasta Loika Receives Seven-Year Sentence in Closed Trial

Belarusian human rights defender, Nasta (Anastasia) Loika, has been sentenced to seven years in general security prison by the Minsk City Court on charges of "incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord." The court's ruling comes amid a wave of crackdowns on civil society and human rights activists in Belarus.

Nasta Loika, a renowned advocate for human rights education, migrants' rights, and critique of repressive "anti-extremist" laws, has worked tirelessly to protect those at risk in Belarus. She was named the human rights defender of the year in 2022 by the Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House. However, this recognition did not shield her from the wrath of the Belarusian authorities.

Loika's arrest took place on October 28, 2022, followed by a series of administrative detentions on petty charges. Despite these administrative sentences typically lasting only 15 days, her incarceration was extended three times. Belarusian authorities have been accused of subjecting Loika to inhumane treatment and denying her medical aid, legal assistance, and warm clothing during her detention.

After a closed trial and a rushed judicial process, the Minsk City Court declared her guilty. This was based on Loika's contribution in 2018 to a report assessing human rights violations by law enforcement officers during state-sanctioned persecution of the anarchist community in Belarus. The details of the court hearings remain undisclosed to the public.

The arrest and subsequent sentencing of Loika sparked international outrage. A joint statement by fifteen international and Belarusian human rights organizations, including ARTICLE 19 Europe, Human Rights Watch, Front Line Defenders, and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), calls for Loika's immediate and unconditional release. They claim that Belarusian authorities are systematically targeting Loika and other human rights defenders for their peaceful and lawful activities.

Moreover, the human rights organizations condemned the physical and psychological torture Loika underwent during her administrative arrest and pre-trial detention. The crackdown has extended to human rights lawyers, including those representing Loika, with some losing their licenses to practice.

As it stands, the human rights landscape in Belarus is teetering on the edge, with the imprisonment of Nasta Loika marking a disturbing escalation in the authorities' offensive against civil society.