Woman with a disability from Homel, whom Alexievich once helped, has been released after a political term
Natallia Vasilenka was jailed at the end of 2024 for "slandering" Lukashenka and "discrediting" Belarus.

Natallia Vasilenka in 2017. Photo: "Radio Svaboda"
The release of 51-year-old Natallia Vasilenka from Homel has been announced.
She was widely written about in the late 2010s — at that time, the woman with a third-group disability, who could no longer work in construction due to medical restrictions, was about to be evicted from her home for debts. After the publicity, they backed off from Natallia, and Sviatlana Alexievich helped her pay off the debts.
At the end of 2024, Natallia Vasilenka was charged with "slandering" Lukashenka and "discrediting" Belarus. For some time, the woman awaited trial at home, but eventually, she was taken to a pre-trial detention center.
Natallia Vasilenka was sentenced to about 1.5 years of imprisonment. She was recently released, having fully served her assigned term.
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