Mikita Mikhajlavich Zalatarou
- Associations
- Detained under 18 years
Nikita was arrested and convicted of throwing a Molotov cocktail at military personnel on August 10, 2020, according to investigators. The prosecution claimed the bottles were hidden and given to him by Leonid Kovalev with the intention of setting fire to a building, bus, or police van. Nikita refused to testify, denied guilt, and reported physical and psychological pressure in pretrial detention. He was 16 years old at the time of his arrest and suffers from epilepsy.
In July 2021, he was convicted again under the article on "violence or threat of violence" for an incident with pretrial detention facility staff. In June 2022, Nikita was transferred to an adult prison colony upon turning 18, and in August of that year, his sentence was increased, relegating him to a prison regime.
In July 2024, the political prisoner was tried for "malicious disobedience to the prison administration"—a charge often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration.
On March 19, 2026, he was released after another 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
