Miss Belarus Wasn’t Released After 34 Days Of Arrest For Mass Rallies
Belarusfeed
17 December 2020, 15:51
Miss Belarus 2008 and ex-press secretary of Brest Dynamo Olga Khizhinkova was not released from a detention center on Okrestin Street in Minsk on Friday. Her jail term for taking part in unauthorised protest rallies was supposed to expire on 11 December.
Her husband, friends and famous atheletes came to meet her, but was told that she would remain in custody. Olga Khizhinkova was detained on 8 November during a protest action. Three days later she was sentenced to 12 days of arrest for *violation of the procedures for organizing or conducting public events.
![]()
At the same time, a witness of her arrest was wearing a balaclava and gave confusing testimony in court. Her case was eventually sent back for revision. A day later, she was tried under the same article of the administrative code for the second episode – 15 more days of arrest were added to her jail time.
Shortly afterwards, the third trial took place, Khizhinkova was punished for another 15 days. Initially, it was assumed that this period would be counted from the moment of the trial, however, according to the employees of a detention center, all three terms were nevertheless summed up.
![]()
Thus, Olga Khizhinkova will probably spend another nine days in custody. According to her lawyer, the exact date of her release from custody will be known no earlier than Monday, 14 December. She has already been behind bars for 34 days.
TUT.BY journalist Alexandra Kvitkevich, who spent 10 days with her in the same cell told that detention conditions were extremely harsh there. Many believe that public figures detained in connection with taking part in rallies get “special treatment” by authorities who are taking a revenge on them in this way.
![]()
The model is an active participant in peaceful protests after the 2020 presidential election in Belarus. She has repeatedly spoken in favour of democratic changes in the country and against violence. On 15 September, she was fired from the National School of Beauty.
17 December 2020, 15:51
Her husband, friends and famous atheletes came to meet her, but was told that she would remain in custody. Olga Khizhinkova was detained on 8 November during a protest action. Three days later she was sentenced to 12 days of arrest for *violation of the procedures for organizing or conducting public events.
At the same time, a witness of her arrest was wearing a balaclava and gave confusing testimony in court. Her case was eventually sent back for revision. A day later, she was tried under the same article of the administrative code for the second episode – 15 more days of arrest were added to her jail time.
Shortly afterwards, the third trial took place, Khizhinkova was punished for another 15 days. Initially, it was assumed that this period would be counted from the moment of the trial, however, according to the employees of a detention center, all three terms were nevertheless summed up.
Thus, Olga Khizhinkova will probably spend another nine days in custody. According to her lawyer, the exact date of her release from custody will be known no earlier than Monday, 14 December. She has already been behind bars for 34 days.
TUT.BY journalist Alexandra Kvitkevich, who spent 10 days with her in the same cell told that detention conditions were extremely harsh there. Many believe that public figures detained in connection with taking part in rallies get “special treatment” by authorities who are taking a revenge on them in this way.
The model is an active participant in peaceful protests after the 2020 presidential election in Belarus. She has repeatedly spoken in favour of democratic changes in the country and against violence. On 15 September, she was fired from the National School of Beauty.
