Political persecutions

Stanislav was convicted for participating in a protest that took place on August 9, 2020 in Zhlobin, directed against the results of the presidential elections.

Sergei was convicted of, according to the indictment, "intentionally publicly insulting police major, deputy head of the criminal investigation department of the Baranovichi District Department of Internal Affairs Igor Erokhin" on November 25, 2020, by posting a comment under his photo in the "Punishermen of Belarus" chat. The post concerned Erokhin's participation in the brutal detention of peaceful protesters.

Tatyana, a pensioner, was convicted under the article “Insulting a government official” for a comment left on the social network Odnoklassniki addressed to a police officer.

Ilya was detained in March 2021 and convicted of "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order" and under the article on "hooliganism" for damaging two Beltelecom cameras and making "cynical inscriptions". This happened as part of a criminal case opened after a protest that took place on September 13, 2020 in Brest. During the protest, people sang and danced in circles, and a water cannon was used against them.

Ilya managed to leave Belarus before he began serving his sentence.

In February 2025, as part of the special proceedings on Ilya's case, a court hearing in absentia was held on the issue of "replacing the restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional facility with imprisonment."

Andrey, a social activist, was detained and placed under house arrest in a criminal case opened under the articles "Calls for actions damaging national security" and "Insulting the President." One of the charges was based on an interview from March 29, 2021, which, according to the prosecutor's office, contained calls for protests on behalf of Andrey, as well as formulations publicly insulting the head of state.

His wife, activist Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk, was already in custody at the time, charged with violence against police officers and insulting the president and officials. The family has two minor children.

On June 28, 2021, Andrei's trial was supposed to begin in the Moscow District Court of Brest. However, he did not appear in court, and Judge Filonik declared him wanted. It later became known that Andrei had left Belarus.

Alexander was convicted of the fact that, according to the case materials, on December 17, 2020, he "posted an offensive message in one of the Telegram channels from his mobile phone. It contained a clearly negative assessment of the personality of the head of state", which, according to the prosecution, humiliates the authority, honor and dignity of Lukashenko.

Vyacheslav was convicted under the article on insult for, according to the charges, having personally written a note containing information of an offensive nature: "No complaints. I do not understand the staff of your gas station, who support the regime of the usurper Lukashenko."

Maria was arrested on September 9, 2020 and convicted for writing the words “We will not forget” at the site of the death of Alexander Taraikovsky, who was shot dead near the Pushkinskaya metro station during a protest that took place on August 10, 2020 in Minsk.

Alexander was convicted for a comment left on August 13, 2020. According to the prosecution, he posted an "offensive comment" on the page of a user with the nickname "Vera Konovalova." The post claimed that Drogichin police officer Yuri Chernyshkov "beat a girl with his hands and feet on the square in front of people" on August 10, 2020. Alexander left a comment under this post that began with the words "dealt with him" and contained an expletive. The text of the comment was not read out in full at the trial.

In September 2020, a video from Zhodino went viral online, showing police officer Nikolai Baranovsky hitting a woman in the face so hard that she fell to the ground. Outraged citizens immediately ran up to him, including Anastasia, who tore off the police officer's mask. In May 2021, the court found her guilty, considering this act as "committing violence or threatening to use violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies."

Ekaterina is a legal consultant at TUT.BY. She graduated from the Law Faculty of BSU. Before TUT.BY, she worked in a large advertising company.

She was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY for tax evasion on an especially large scale. A few days later, she was placed under house arrest.

In April 2022, it became known that Ekaterina's preventive measure had been changed from house arrest to a written undertaking not to leave the country.

Kateryna did not appear at the TUT.BY trial, which began in January 2023 behind closed doors; by that time, she had already left the country.

In February 2025, court hearings began on the criminal case within the framework of special proceedings under four articles - the outcome is unknown.

Elena is a journalist. She started working at TUT.BY in 2014. At first, she worked in the Construction and Real Estate section, and after a few years, she moved to the Money and Power section.

She was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY for tax evasion on an especially large scale. In July 2022, Elena was released from pretrial detention on a non-disclosure agreement and surety, but the charges were not dropped. In the fall of the same year, the KGB added her to the list of "those involved in terrorism."

Elena did not appear at the TUT.BY trial, which began in January 2023 behind closed doors — by that time she had already left the country. In April of the same year, the Minsk City Court summoned deputy Valery Voronetsky and political scientist Yevgeny Preygerman, who vouched for Elena — they were fined 18.5 thousand Belarusian rubles each.

In February 2025, court hearings began on the criminal case within the framework of special proceedings under four articles - the outcome is unknown.

Olga is the former editor-in-chief of the political and economic block TUT.BY, graduated from BSU, BGEU and Oxford, and hosted the program “Economics on the Fingers” with Sergei Chaly.

On May 18, 2021, she was detained in a criminal case on tax evasion by TUT.BY. She was later charged with "inciting social hatred" and "calls for sanctions." In March 2022, she was released from pretrial detention on bail and recognizance, but the charges were not dropped. In the fall of that year, the KGB added her to the list of "those involved in terrorism."

Olga did not appear at the TUT.BY trial, which began in January 2023 behind closed doors — by that time, she had already left the country. In April of the same year, the Minsk City Court summoned the head of the Republican Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) Alexander Shvets in connection with his surety for Olga — he was fined 18.5 thousand Belarusian rubles.

In February 2025, court hearings began on the criminal case within the framework of special proceedings under four articles - the outcome is unknown.

Vladimir was convicted for a message left in an open Viber chat addressed to state security officer Denis Semenov. According to the indictment, it contained a negative assessment of his personality - in particular, Vladimir called him a "s*ck, a loser and a whiner."

In January 2022, he was transferred from an open-type correctional facility to “house arrest” as part of a pardon.

Vladimir, a football fan, was detained on May 4, 2021, by GUBOPiK and SOBR officers as part of a criminal case opened for protests that took place in Mozyr in August 2020 after the presidential elections.

At the end of May 2021, he was released on bail.