Lukashenka pardons Russian Sofya Sapega
Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko pardoned Russian woman Sofya Sapega. It was handed over on Wednesday, July 7th, from a penal colony in Gomel to representatives of Russia. Initially, it was assumed that Sapega would be transferred to the Russian Federation to serve his sentence.
In May 2022, a Belarusian court sentenced Sofya Sapega to six years in prison under articles on “incitement to hatred” and “rules for handling personal data”. She was detained in May 2021 along with the former editor-in-chief of the NEXTA Telegram channel, Roman Protasevich. The detention took place after the forced landing of the Ryanair aircraft, on which Sapieha and Protasevich were flying, at Minsk airport. It was reported that there was a bomb on board the ocean liner, but it was never found.
Sofya Sapieha filed a plea for clemency on behalf of Lukashenko, but in January 2023 it became known that the authorities refused her. In March, Sapega was included in the Belarusian list of “engaged in terrorist activities”. In April, according to the lawyer, the girl’s extradition process to Russia began.
Roman Protasevich, who concluded a pre-trial agreement with the investigation, was sentenced in May 2023 to eight years in prison in the case of “a conspiracy to seize state power in Belarus by unconstitutional means.” However, Alexander Lukashenko soon signed a decree on his pardon.
Source: DW
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