Antonina Klimentyevna Kovaliova
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Antonina is a lawyer and a graduate of the Belarusian State University. She worked as a legal adviser, notary, and chief specialist at the Ministry of Justice. Since 2002, she has been a member of the United Civil Party, serving on its executive committee and chairing the National Committee's Legal Affairs Commission for two years. In 2012, she was elected deputy chair of the party, a position she later resigned from.
Antonina was detained on July 27, 2022, as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them."
According to the indictment, on August 23, 2020, she "publicly shouted slogans, loudly applauded, and stood on the roadway, thereby blocking and impeding the movement of public transport in Minsk, including the Minsktrans public transport system."
In November 2022, she was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment.
In April 2023, Antonina was released, having fully served her court-appointed sentence.
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
