Sofia Sapega

Sofia Andreyevna Sapega (Russian: Софья Андреевна Сапега; born 10 February 1998) is a Russian student and former political prisoner who was arrested by Belarusian authorities in May 2021 along with Roman Protasevich after their flight Ryanair Flight 4978 was diverted to Minsk due to a false bomb threat. In May 2022, she was sentenced to six years in prison; she was pardoned one year later.

In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming conventions, the patronymic is Andreyevna and the family name is Sapega.

Sofia Sapega
Софья Сапега
Sapega on her release from prison in June 2023
Born (1998-02-10) 10 February 1998
Vladivostok, Russia
Occupation(s)Student, political prisoner

Early life and education

Sofia Sapega was born on 10 February 1998 in Vladivostok, Russia.[1][2] As a child, she moved to Belarus but retained her Russian citizenship.[1]

She studied law at the European Humanities University in Vilnius, Lithuania,[2] and was due to defend her master's thesis before she was arrested.[3][4] According to the university, she had Russian citizenship and a residence permit in Belarus and Lithuania.[3]

Arrest and trial

Sofia Sapega was on Ryanair Flight 4978 from Athens to Vilnius along with Roman Protasevich, who she was dating, when the flight was diverted to Minsk, Belarus, after a false bomb threat was passed on by Belarusian air traffic control.[2] She was remanded in custody for two months.[5] According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sapega was accused of breaking Belarusian law in August and September 2020;[2] the ministry did not specify which laws she allegedly broke.[2] In a video released by Belarusian authorities, Sapega claimed that she was an editor of the Black Book of Belarus,[2] a Telegram channel which had published personal information of security officials that Belarus had classified as an extremist group.[2][6]

Sapega's mother and several of her classmates told BBC News that she was not involved in the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, and had been living in Vilnius since August 2020.[2] Sapega's mother was not allowed to visit her daughter in prison.[5]

Following her arrest, Belarusian human rights organizations including the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and Viasna Human Rights Centre recognized her as a political prisoner and demanded her release.[7][8]

In a 26 May 2021 speech in the Belarusian parliament, President Alexander Lukashenko labelled Protasevich and Sapega "agents of Western intelligence".[5] On 4 June 2021, the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus (KGB) said that Sofia Sapega was charged with "inciting hatred" and "mass disorder".[9]

On 3 December 2021, Sapega was finally charged with "inciting hatred", facing up to six to twelve years of imprisonment.[10][11][12]

On 6 May 2022, Sapega was sentenced to six years in prison for "inciting social hatred". Her lawyer said that he would appeal directly to Russian president Vladimir Putin because Sapega is a Russian citizen.[13]

On 14 March 2023, Sapega was included in the registry of terrorists by the KGB.[14]

On 10 April 2023, Sapega agreed to a prison transfer to Russia following her family's request, and after Belarusian authorities did not object provided Sapega finished her sentence in a Russian prison.[15][16]

On 7 June 2023, it was announced that Sapega had been pardoned by Lukashenko,[17] reportedly at the request of the Russian governor of Primorsky Krai, Oleg Kozhemyako, who led a delegation.[18] After her release, Sapega said that the pardon from Lukashenko was unexpected to her. When questioned about Roman Protasevich and his testimony against her, Sapega said she preferred to "not say anything about this person [Protasevich] and I just wish him to live his life with dignity".[19]

Personal life

Sapega started dating Roman Protasevich in late 2020.[3] According to Sapega's mother, she and Protasevich had known each other for about six months prior to their arrests in May 2021.[2] Protasevich's relationship with Sapega eventually ended and Protasevich married another woman in May 2022.[20]

References
  1. "Что известно о деле Софьи Сапеги". TASS. 7 June 2023.
  2. "Belarus plane: Who is Russian student Sofia Sapega?". BBC News. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  3. ""Мы все в шоке"". Novaya Gazeta. 2 May 2021.
  4. "Who is Sofia Sapega?". Deutsche Welle. 26 May 2021.
  5. Rainsford, Sarah (27 May 2021). "Belarus: I'm ready to beg for help, says mother of detained woman". BBC News. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  6. "Sofia Sapega, sentenced to 6 years in Belarus, consents to extradition to Russia". Meduza. 12 April 2023.
  7. "Белорусские правозащитники признали Софью Сапегу политзаключенной". The Insider. 26 May 2021.
  8. "Human rights organizations call to release five more political prisoners". Viasna Human Rights Centre. 26 May 2021.
  9. "Сапегу обвинили в разжигании социальной вражды и розни в Белоруссии" [Sapega accused of inciting social hatred and discord in Belarus]. РИА Новости (in Russian). 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  10. Karpova, Y. (7 December 2021). "Мать Софьи Сапеги: Моя последняя надежда, что Россия ее не оставит" [Sapega's Mother: Russia Is Our Last Hope] (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  11. "Belarus Charges Dissident Blogger's Russian Girlfriend With 'Inciting Hatred'". The Moscow Times. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  12. "Minsk files final charges against radical Belarusian blogger's Russian girlfriend". TASS. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. "Belarus plane arrest activist Sofia Sapega sentenced to six years". The Guardian. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  14. "Belarusian KGB Adds Russian National Sofia Sapega To Terrorist Registry". RFE/RL. No. Network's Belarus Service. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  15. Ilyushina, Mary (22 May 2023). "Belarus pardons opposition blogger arrested after plane's forced landing". Washington Post. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  16. "Belarus agrees to extradite Sofia Sapega to Russia". Meduza. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  17. "Belarus' Lukashenko pardons Russian citizen Sapega -Belta". Reuters. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  18. "Александр Лукашенко помиловал Софью Сапегу по просьбе губернатора Приморья". Interfax. 7 June 2023.
  19. "Софья Сапега о Романе Протасевиче: "Просто пожелаю ему прожить эту жизнь достойно"" [Sofia Sapega about Roman Protasevich: "I just wish him to live this life with dignity"]. ZERKALO (in Russian). 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  20. Hume, Tim (24 May 2022). "The Sad and Murky Tale of Roman Protasevich". Vice. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
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