Mikita was just 16 when he was arrested after being caught up in crowds leaving a protest in Homel, Belarus. The teenager was held in solitary confinement and has reportedly been tortured. Join his parents and call for his release.
According to Mikita’s dad, it all began in August 2020, when Mikita was waiting for a friend in the main square of Homel city, south-eastern Belarus. Nearby, people had been largely peacefully protesting the recent presidential election results when police moved in. According to Mikita’s father, as the crowd began running, someone told Mikita to run, too – so he did.
The next day police officers came to Mikita’s door. They beat the 16-year-old, accusing him of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards two officers the night before. After they arrested Mikita, they beat him in custody with an electric shock truncheon. Officers interrogated him without a lawyer or responsible adult present, and locked him up for six months before putting him on trial.
Mikita was convicted of mass disorder and using illegal explosives without sufficient evidence. Video evidence did not show him taking part in violence. The judge sentenced Mikita to five years in a child educational prison colony. Since then, Mikita has been held in solitary confinement and reportedly has been tortured. He is not getting the medical treatment he needs for his epilepsy.
His parents are calling for their son’s release. Help protect Mikita’s future. Tell Belarus to release Mikita and give him a fair trial.
Sign the petition and call for Mikita’s release and fair trial.
मिकिता जालाटारोउ, बेलारूस
केही अघिसम्म मात्र पनि मिकिता जालाटारोउ एक सामान्य किशोर थिए । उनलाई माइनक्राफ्ट भिडियोगेम खेल्न र र्याप संगीत सुन्न मन पथ्र्यो । आज छारे रोगले पीडित १७ वर्षीय मिकितालाई माइनक्राफ्टको दुष्ट पात्र नेदर भन्दा पनि खराब पात्रको रूपमा संसारमा चित्रित गरिएको छ ।
मिकिताका बुबा भन्छन् – यो सबै सन् २०२० अगस्तमा सुरू भएको थियो, जब मिकिता दक्षिणी बेलारूसको होमल शहरको एउटा मुख्य स्थानमा साथीको प्रतीक्षा गरिरहेका थिए । नजिकै मानिसहरू हालै सम्पन्न राष्ट्रपति निर्वाचनको नतिजाविरुद्ध शान्तिपूर्ण तवरमा विरोध प्रदर्शन गरिरहेका बेला प्रहरीहरूले प्रवेश गरेका थिय । मिकिताका बुबाको अनुसार जब भीडबाट मानिसहरू भाग्न थाले कसैले मिकितालाई भाग भने र उनी पनि भागे । भोलिपल्ट ११ अगस्तका दिन प्रहरी अधिकारीहरू मिकिताको घरमा आए । उनीहरूले मिकितालाई पिट्दै गएको रात दुई अधिकारीहरूतिर मोलोटोभ नामको ककटेल (रक्सी) फ्याँकेको आरोप लगाउँदै उनलाई गिरफ्तार गरे । हिरासतमा राखिएको बेला उनीहरूले बिजुलीको झट्का दिने लठ्ठीले मिकितालाई पिटे । अधिकारीहरूले उनलाई वकिल वा जिम्मेवार वयस्क व्यक्तिको उपस्थिति बिना नै केरकार गरे र सुनुवाइपूर्व छ महिनासम्म थुनामा राखे । मिकितालाई शान्ति सद्भाव बिथोलेको र अवैध विस्फोटक पदार्थको प्रयोग गरेको आरोपमा दोषी ठहराइयो तर भिडियो प्रमाणले उनले हिंसामा भाग लिएको देखाएन । संचारमाध्यमहरूले उक्त विरोध प्रदर्शनको क्रममा आम दङ्गा नभएको उल्लेख गरे । यद्यपि न्यायाधीशले मिकितालाई बाल शैक्षिक सुधार गृहमा रहने गरी पाँच वर्षको सजाय सुनाए ।
मिकितालाई रिहा गर्न र निष्पक्ष सुनुवाइका लागि बेलारूसलाई अनुरोध गरौँ ।