Lyudmila Yurievna Chekina
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Lyudmila Yurievna Chekina
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Lyudmila is the former CEO of TUT.BY. She worked at TUT.BY since 2008, first as a legal adviser and later as a director. In 2017, she became the head of Tut By Media.
In May 2021, she was arrested in connection with a criminal case opened on charges of tax evasion.
In October 2022, the KGB added Lyudmila to its list of persons "involved in terrorist activity." She was later also charged with "inciting hatred" and "calls for actions against national security."
The trial was held behind closed doors and lasted over two months, with 37 hearings in total. In March 2023, Lyudmila was sentenced to a lengthy prison term and a large fine.
On September 16, 2026, she was released after a visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Lithuania.
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
