Association Member
Inna Shyrokaya
“A mother's heart cannot stay silent when children are tortured and human dignity is violated. Together we are stronger than any prison walls.”
Story & Mission in the Association
Belarusian political prisoner, mother of five, and co-founder of the Association of Political Prisoners of Belarus (APBEL). She initially coordinated Association activities in Białystok before moving to Warsaw, where she focuses on body-oriented therapy, somatic practices, and psychological recovery for released political prisoners.
Political Persecution & Conviction
Inna lived in Grodno and managed a popular cafe. In August 2020, following the brutal beating of her 18-year-old son by riot police, she bravely stood up against police brutality and displayed memorial candles in the cafe windows.
On April 6, 2022, Inna was arrested and held for nearly four months in SIZO-1 prison on Valadarskaha Street in Minsk under grueling sanitary conditions.
On July 26, 2022, she was sentenced under Article 342, Part 1 to 3 years of home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya"). Due to continuous harassment and threats to seize her children, she urgently evacuated with her family to Poland.
Public & Human Rights Activism After Release
Following her evacuation from Belarus, Inna actively engaged in developing the Association of Political Prisoners of Belarus (APBEL). She initially spearheaded the Association's activities and regional presence in Białystok, later relocating to Warsaw, where she dedicated her efforts to somatic healing and rehabilitation for released political prisoners. She is an active member of the "Belarusians of Action" faction in the 4th convocation of the Coordination Council.
Key areas of her work include:
• Yoga Therapy and Somatic Practices: conducting body-oriented and somatic movement sessions designed to help former prisoners relieve chronic trauma, overcome physiological tension, and recover well-being after imprisonment.
• Peer-to-Peer Support Groups («роўны — роўнаму»): cultivating a safe and trusting space where former political prisoners share their authentic experiences of adapting to freedom and living in exile, supporting one another on equal footing.
• Psychosocial Rehabilitation: assisting released women and families in restoring emotional resilience, reclaiming personal agency, and reintegrating into active civil life.
• Socio-Political Advocacy: active participation in the "Belarusians of Action" faction of the 4th convocation of the Coordination Council to defend the rights and representation of political prisoners.
⚖️ Official Human Rights Center "Viasna" Dossier:
View verified criminal case records on the spring96 database:
prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/ina-szyrokaja