"Masha Kalesnikova is a flutist, works as a seamstress in the Gomel prison (correctional colony - RS).

Shifts, eight hours.

The rest of the time is political studies and other brain research.

Fifteen minutes of reading per day.

Half an hour for a walk," wrote Alena Makarova.

According to her, 17 women are in the cell together with Kalesnikova.

Among them, Maria is the only "politician" with a yellow patch on her clothes.

"The cellmates shun her.

It is the very sin that should be avoided.

There is one "political criminal" in each cell, they are not allowed to talk to each other even on a walk."

Alena Makarova noted that Maria's parcels can be received 4 times a year for 50 kg.

"Dad brings them to her, but she doesn't see him.

Dates with dad - once every three months for an hour - through the glass.

You can talk to him for 10 minutes a week, but if something is said that the person listening does not like, the conversation is interrupted.

Friends tried to give her a child's toy flute, they showed it to her, but did not give it to her.

She asked for sheet music.

Twice it was possible to forward them, transcribed by hand, in the inner part of the letter.

Lately, letters from friends have not reached Masha."

At the same time, the author of the post noted that despite such conditions of detention, Maria does not despair.

"She is full of inner strength and supports her father and sister from behind the walls.

How does it support what?

With love and an unbreakable smile.

She has such a core that she feels free even in captivity."

On September 7, 2020, the security forces seized Maria Kalesnikova, the head of Viktor Babarika's staff in the 2020 elections, and tried to forcibly take her to Ukraine.

However, Kalesnikova tore her passport into small pieces at the border, climbed out of the car window and returned to the territory of Belarus.

She was immediately detained there.

Kolesnikova was tried behind closed doors together with lawyer Maksim Znak.

She was found guilty under three articles of the Criminal Code and sentenced to 11 years in prison on September 6, 2021.

What you need to know about the verdict of Maria Kolesnikova and Maxim Znak

The verdict was handed down on September 6, 2021, to poly-convicts Maria Kolesnikova and Maksim Znak.

Former members of Viktor Babarika's election headquarters and members of the Presidium of the Coordination Council were tried together behind closed doors.

The sentence is 11 years in the Kolesnikova colony and 10 years for Znak.

Judge Siarhei Yepikhov.

They were found guilty under three articles of the Criminal Code:

  • conspiracy to seize power;

  • calls for actions aimed at harming national security;

  • creating an extremist formation or leading it.

Maxim Znak and Maria Kalesnikova in court on September 6, 2021

The process took 17 sessions. None of the political prisoners admitted their guilt.


Maria Kalesnikova and Maksim Znak joined the election headquarters of Viktar Babarika in May 2020 - almost immediately after he announced his decision to participate in the election campaign.

Both of them became the faces of the campaign along with Babaryk himself - they appeared at the procedure for submitting documents for the registration of the initiative group to the Central Committee, submitted the signatures collected by Babaryk for nomination there, actively commented on the progress of the campaign and the plans of the headquarters after the arrest of Babaryk himself.

After the creation of the joint headquarters, both Maksim Znak and Maria Kalesnikova continued their active activities in Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya's election campaign.

After the establishment of the Coordination Council, Znak and Kolesnikov joined its presidium.