Marfa Rabkova (Belarusian and Russian: Марфа Рабкова; born 6 January 1995) is a Belarusian human rights activist who works for the Viasna Human Rights Centre. In 2020 she was arrested by the Belarusian authorities for her activism and sent to the pre-trial prison SIZO No. 1. In 2021 she was awarded the Homo Homini Award together with three other arrested Belarusian human rights activists.
Marfa Rabkova | |
|---|---|
Марфа Рабкова | |
 | |
| Born | 6 January 1995 |
| Nationality | Belarusian |
| Citizenship | Belarusian |
| Organization | Viasna Human Rights Centre |
| Known for | 2021 imprisonments |
Biography
editMarfa (Maria) Rabkova was born in 1995.[1] She attended the Belarusian State Pedagogical University but was forced to withdraw after being detained on a march near a university building.[2] She then enrolled at the A. Kuleshov Mogilev State University but claimed that she was unable to complete her studies and find a job due to pressure from the authorities.[2] In 2017 she entered the European Humanities University in Vilnius, Lithuania.[2] In 2019 she became a manager of the volunteers' network of Viasna Human Rights Centre in Belarus.[2]
In 2020 Rabkova volunteered with the Viasna Human Rights Centre over the course of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election.[3] At the start of the mass protests, she began to document evidence of torture and abuse by the Belarusian authorities.[3] She was detained on 17 September 2020.[1] On 19 September 2021 she was transferred to SIZO No. 1 in Minsk.[1] Several Belarusian human rights groups recognized her as a political prisoner.[1] International human rights organizations Amnesty International, Front Line Defenders, and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders demanded her immediate release.[1] Bundestag member Agnieszka Brugger became her "godmother".[4] In the pre-trial prison her health worsened; she complained about abdominal pain, tooth pain, and inflammation of the lymph nodes but did not get adequate medical treatment.[5] According to her husband, she lost 20 kg in prison, contracted COVID-19, and started to experience fainting and low blood pressure.[6] She also wasn't allowed to attend her father's funeral.[6]
Initially, Rabkova was charged under article 293 of the Criminal Code (part 3, "Training or other preparation of persons for participation in mass riots, or financing of this activity").[1] On 11 February 2021 she was charged with two other articles — 130 ("Incitement to hatred") and 285 (part 2, "Participation in a criminal organization").[1] Based on these charges, she faced the possibility of being imprisoned for up to 12 years.[1]
In 2021 Rabkova was awarded the Homo Homini Award together with three other arrested Belarusian human rights activists.[7]
On September 6, 2022, Rabkova was sentenced to 15 years in a general-security penal colony and a fine of 22,400 Belarusian rubles (more than $8,800). On February 28, 2023, the Supreme Court changed the final sentence for Rabkova into 14 years and 9 months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h "Marfa Rabkova, human rights activist, coordinator of Viasna's Volunteer Service". Viasna Human Rights Centre. Archived from the original on 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ a b c d "Переживала, что "недоученная". Студенческий путь Марфы Рабковой". Viasna Human Rights Centre (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2021-11-20. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ a b "Требуем немедленного освобождения политзаключенной, правозащитницы ПЦ "Весна" Марфы Рабковой". Viasna Human Rights Centre (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ "Bundestagsabgeordnete übernehmen Patenschaften für Marfa Rabkova, Raman Bahnavets und Stanislau Mikhailau" (in German). Archived from the original on 2021-07-27. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ "Amnesty International: Потребуйте начать лечение правозащитницы Марфы Рабковой, которой в СИЗО отказывают в медпомощи". Viasna Human Rights Centre (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2021-11-20. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ a b "Правозащитница год в тюрьме: история Марфы Рабковой". Deutsche Welle (in Russian). 2021-09-22. Archived from the original on 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ "Находящиеся под стражей белорусские правозащитники награждены премией Homo Homini". Naviny.by (in Russian). 2021-05-11. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ "Marfa Rabkova". Viasna Human Rights Centre.
External links
edit- "Marfa Rabkova, human rights activist, coordinator of Viasna's Volunteer Service". Viasna Human Rights Centre. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- "Belarus: Release Marfa Rabkova, free all detained Viasna members". International Federation for Human Rights. 2021-09-17. Retrieved 2021-11-20.