Sofia Andreyevna Sapega 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.
14 Facts About Sofia Sapega
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Sofia Sapega was born on 10 February 1998 in Vladivostok, Russia.
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Sofia Sapega studied law at the European Humanities University in Vilnius, Lithuania, and was due to defend her master's thesis before she was arrested.
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Sofia Sapega was on Ryanair Flight 4978 from Athens to Vilnius along with Roman Protasevich, whom she was dating, when the flight was diverted to Minsk, Belarus, after a false bomb threat was passed on by Belarusian air traffic control.
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Sofia Sapega's mother was not allowed to visit her daughter in prison.
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On 4 June 2021, the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus said that Sofia Sapega was charged with "inciting hatred" and "mass disorder".
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On 3 December 2021, Sofia Sapega was finally charged with "inciting hatred", facing up to six to twelve years of imprisonment.
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On 6 May 2022, Sofia Sapega was sentenced to six years in prison for "inciting social hatred".
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Sofia Sapega's lawyer said that he would appeal directly to Russian president Vladimir Putin because Sapega is a Russian citizen.
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On 14 March 2023, Sofia Sapega was included in the registry of terrorists by the KGB.
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On 10 April 2023, Sofia Sapega agreed to a prison transfer to Russia following her family's request, and after Belarusian authorities did not object provided Sofia Sapega finished her sentence in a Russian prison.
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On 7 June 2023, it was announced that Sofia Sapega had been pardoned by Lukashenko, reportedly at the request of the Russian governor of Primorsky Krai, Oleg Kozhemyako, who led a delegation.
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When questioned about Roman Protasevich and his testimony against her, Sofia Sapega said she preferred to "not say anything about this person [Protasevich] and I just wish him to live his life with dignity".
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Protasevich's relationship with Sofia Sapega eventually ended and Protasevich married another woman in May 2022.