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Marfa is a 3rd year student at the International Law and European Union Law Program at European Humanities University in Vilnius, Lithuania. Marfa attended university in Lithuania as she could not complete her studies in Belarus due to pressure from authorities and was forced to withdraw from a state university after being detained during a protest march.
She is a human rights defender and the coordinator of the volunteer network of Viasna which is a leading human rights group in Belarus and one of the many organisations affected by heavy crackdowns by the Belarussian government on human rights organisations and independent media.
During Marfa’s time in pre-trial detention her health drastically deteriorated due to lack of adequate medical care. She was denied dental treatment, was not tested for Covid-19 despite showing symptoms, suffered abdominal pain and inflamed lymph nodes. By the time she got a blood test in 2021 her blood tests showed blood deficiencies and inflammation. It was only in 2022 that she was treated with intravenous antibiotics but was still denied comprehensive medical care and examinations.
WHAT HAS SHE BEEN CHARGED WITH?
Marfa has been imprisoned in Belarus since September 17th 2020.
Marfa faced charges under ten articles of the Criminal Code, including “organising mass riots", participating therein and training or other preparation of persons to participate therein (Parts 1 to 3 of Art. 293), “inciting social hostility to the government” (Art. 130) and “involvement in a criminal organisation” (Part 2 of Art. 285), and faced up to 20 years in prison.
On September 6 2022, Marfa was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Marfa’s efforts in exposing arbitrary detentions, torture, and other mis-treatment of protesters and human rights violations committed by the Belarussian government have lead to her having her right to academic freedom as a student taken from her.
She is a student, fighting for her country's academic freedom.
Now we must fight for her freedom.
To learn more:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/belarus-marfa-rabkova-viasna/
https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/actions/marfa-rabkova-belarus/
Marfa's university
Marfa studies at The European Humanities University. It is a privately funded university located in Vilinus.
COULD YOU IMAGINE THE GOVERNMENT STOPPING YOUR STUDIES AND ARRESTING YOU FOR PROTESTING?
Monash has a proud tradition of campus protesters expressing their democratic right to protest. In Belarus, the government is brutally suppressing protesters.
Monash For Marfa is fighting to secure the release of Marfa. Please support our campaign by signing our petition
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