Belarus mother of five jailed over ‘unsanctioned mass gatherings’

Volha Zalatar (Human Rights Center “Viasna” spring96.org via AP)

A Belarus court has sentenced a neighbourhood activist and mother of five to four years in prison for creating an “extremist group” on the messaging app Telegram, the country’s top rights group Viasna has reported.

Volha Zalatar, 38, has been held in custody since March. She was arrested on the street when she was taking her 10-year-old daughter to music school.