Kristina Cherenkova, born on 23 April 1990, graduated from the University of Francisk Skaryna in Gomel as an English language teacher. She was teaching English at a school in Rechitsa and at this time she met her future husband.

After marriage, she moved from Rechitsa to Mozyr, where she decided to open her own business. She started decorating weddings and gave people joy and good mood. Together with her husband, she travelled extensively in Belarus and Ukraine.

Kristina was also the vocalist of the punk rock band VIKT(A)R xOi, which managed to record several tracks, but when she was detained, the police searched all the members of the band and took away their equipment. Nevertheless, the recording of Kristina’s vocals survived; the other instruments had to be re-recorded.

Political views

Kristina has always been an advocate of equality, she is a well-known activist in the anti-fascist milieu of Mozyr and attributes herself to the “Skinheads Against Racial Superstition” movement.

She has also actively spoken out against the actions of the Belarusian state, repression, and police violence. She had a popular Instagram profile, where she wrote about current political events (the posts on her profile were later recognized as “extremist materials”).

After the protests began and political repression intensified, her parents persuaded Kristina and her husband to leave the country, but they refused. They said that “someone has to stay”, that “we are in our own country”.

The story of the detention and the case

Back in August 2020, Kristina and her husband were detained in the street. The police stopped their car but eventually Kristina was released without trial.

On 22 March 2022, a dozen anti-fascists, members of various counter-culture music groups, were searched and detained in Mozyr. Five people ended up serving short time in jail, while criminal proceedings were initiated against Kristina and her friend Anna Pyshnik.

Kristina was detained together with her husband. Early in the morning the law enforcers started breaking down the doors, and as soon as Kristina’s husband opened the door they started beating him.

Some of the law enforcers ran into the room of Kristina, who did not understand what was happening. They started beating her before she could even get out of bed. The whole thing was filmed on video.

Later, when she was transferred to the pre-trial detention facility, a doctor examined her and documented the bruises from the beatings.

Three days later, Kristina’s husband was released and she was charged for her anti-military and anti-police posts on Instagram.

During the investigation, Kristina Cherenkova’s Instagram page was found to be “extremist materials” – the trial was initiated in court by the police. “I don’t expect anything good,” Christina conveyed on this occasion in her letter.

Verdict

On 10 November Gomel Regional Court started the hearing of the criminal case against Kristina. According to the results of the examination, announced in court, her posts contain no calls to violent actions, but they contain a negative assessment of the police officers. On November 16, 2022 Judge Aleksei Glyshchankov found the young woman guilty and sentenced her to two and a half years of imprisonment.

Conditions of detention

In prison, Kristina was registered as “prone to extremism”.

Kristina, like many other political prisoners, has difficulties with correspondence. While letters from relatives somehow get through, news from friends and acquaintances hardly ever arrives.

From time to time Kristina is transferred from cell to cell. She jokes that she has managed to get acquainted with all the political prisoners who are women during her detention.

Relatives

Kristina’s mother, her husband, her father-in-law and mother-in-law who had to leave Belarus, and her relatives are waiting for her outside. Her friends have launched a solidarity campaign with Kristina on Instagram, talking about how she is doing in prison and sending messages and pictures from her.

Here’s what Kristina’s mother-in-law has to say:

The first days were very difficult. I stayed in touch with Kristina’s mum all the time – she was all alone, she couldn’t sleep, she needed support. It helped a lot that my son was stoic, maybe his state passed on to us. It also helped us to be strong because there are many people like Kristina. There are smart, talented people and mothers of many children, young and old.

In one of her letters Kristina writes:

Keep your fingers crossed for me! Your support is much needed right now! Hugs to all.

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