Belarus: Upcoming trial and deteriorating health condition of Marfa Rabkova

The Observatory has been informed about the ongoing arbitrary detention, deterioration of health condition and upcoming trial of Maria (a.k.a Marfa) Rabkova, Coordinator of volunteer services at the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” who notably participated in documenting evidence of torture and other inhuman treatment of detained participants in the post-election demonstrations in Belarus. The Minsk City Court will consider the case against Ms. Rabkova on April 25, 2022.

Marfa Rabkova’s health has drastically deteriorated in the past months due to the lack of adequate medical care. She has been denied any dental treatment over the past nine months, even though her teeth appear to be deeply fractured and a part of her front tooth has chipped off. In early 2022 she had Covid-19 symptoms but the prison authorities failed to test her. Since then, Marfa Rabkova suffers from abdominal pain and inflamed lymph nodes on her neck. By the end of 2021, her blood tests showed low levels of hemoglobin and the presence of inflammation. Yet, it was not until March 2022 that she underwent ultrasound examination, despite her multiple requests. On April 4, 2022, she started being treated with an intravenous antibiotics course but was still denied comprehensive medical care and examinations.

The Observatory recalls that Ms. Rabkova has been detained in pre-trial detention center №1 on Volodarskogo Street in Minsk since her arrest, on September 17, 2020, on charges of “training or other preparation of persons for the participation in mass riots, or financing of such activities" (Article 293.3 of the Belarus Criminal Code). Since then, her pre-trial detention period has been repeatedly extended.

On February 11, 2021, the Investigative Committee of Belarus charged Marfa Rabkova with “incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord, committed by a group of persons or resulting by negligence in the death of a person or other grave consequences” and “involvement in a criminal organization”. In November 2021, Marfa Rabkova informed her family that she would face trial under a total of 10 charges¹. If found guilty, she could face up to a total of 20 years in prison.

In December 2021, her case file was transferred to the Investigative Committee of Belarus, and in January 2022 it was sent to the Prosecutor's Office to be sent to Minsk City Court. On April 6, 2022, it became known that the Prosecutor's Office filed Marfa Rabkova's case with the Minsk City Court. The hearing is scheduled for April 25, 2022. Nine people are accused under the same case together with Marfa Rabkova, including the volunteer of Viasna, Andrey Chapiuk. In the case file, the Investigative Committee described Marfa Rabkova as a leader of “an organised criminal group that had autonomous cells in the regions of Belarus”. The basis of these accusations remains uknown.

As part of her human rights activities, Marfa Rabkova, together with Viasna volunteers, including Mr. Chapiuk, monitored peaceful assemblies, took an active part in the independent election observation campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections", participated in documentation of evidence of torture and other cruel treatment of detained protesters, and helped families of political prisoners.

The Observatory expresses its utmost concern over Ms. Rabkova’s deteriorating health condition while in detention and urges the authorities in Belarus to grant her immediate access to adequate and comprehensive medical treatment, and to immediately and unconditionally release her, as her detention is arbitrary and is only putting her life at risk.

The Observatory condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention of Viasna members, including Ales Bialiatski, head of Viasna, Valiantsin Stefanovic, member of Viasna’s Board and Vice-President of FIDH, Uladzimir Labkovich, lawyer and coordinator of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”, Leanid Sudalenka, lawyer of the Homieĺ (Gomel) branch of Viasna and volunteers Tatsiana Lasitsa and Andrey Chapiuk.