Виктория Бакунович
The Minsk City Court has issued an in absentia sentence against Viktoriya Bakunovich. Special proceedings against her were initiated by the Investigative Committee in December last year.
She was accused of creating an “extremist formation” (Part 1 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code) and facilitating “extremist activity” (Part 2 of Article 361-4).
According to the human rights center Viasna, she was sentenced to six years in a penal colony under a special regime.
Bakunovich was mentioned in the case concerning the hanging of the national Belarusian and Ukrainian flags on Lesi Ukrainki Street in Minsk in August 2022. Five people were detained in that case. Most of them received sentences of five years in prison. Two weeks after their detention, the Interior Ministry designated the “xinkalik” channel in the Zello application as an “extremist formation.” Viktoriya was listed among those allegedly involved in the formation.