Hanna Kandratsenka

Date of birth: 13 April 1985
Died on February 5, 2025.

Former political prisoner

Date of detention: 5 May 2022

Charges indicted:

• Art. 369 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a government official
• Art. 368 of the Criminal Code — Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus
• Art. 391 of the Criminal Code — Insulting a judge

Date of verdict: 12 July 2022
Sentence: 3 years

Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Date of release: 20 June 2024

Judge: Natallia Panasenka, Volha Krauchanka

Notes: Health issues

Statement on the status of a political prisoner

Godparent: Maria Noichl is a Member of the European Parliament for the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands and the Chairwoman of the SPD Women’s Group

Hanna Kandratsenka

Hanna Kandratsenka was convicted under Part 1 of Article 368, 369, and 391 of the Criminal Code of insulting Aliaksandr Lukashenka, a government official, and a judge.

Judge Natallia Panasenka sentenced her to three years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony and ordered a fine of BYN 3,200 rubles (USD 1,270).

She was included on a list of Belarusian, foreign, and stateless citizens involved in extremist activities.

On July 11, 2023, she was convicted under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a government official) by the Kastrychnitski District Court of Mahiliou. Judge Volha Krauchanka presided over the case. The result: one year of imprisonment and a fine of 50 basic units.

By absorbing a less strict punishment with a stricter one, she was left with the same sentence: three years of imprisonment in a general-regime colony. She owed the state more than 5 thousand Belarusian rubles in all criminal cases.

She was released on June 20, 2024.

Hanna died on February 5, 2025, from cervical cancer, which was diagnosed while she was in the Homiel colony. She was taken for therapy to the oncology clinic in Homiel, but despite her serious illness, she was not released early.