Political prisoners

Ivan, who has two higher educations, previously worked as an artist-designer and then became an animator, director and video editor. He is also an artist and author of short stories. On October 21, 2020, he was detained and convicted on charges of posting calls for destabilization of public order on a Telegram channel, including arson of the KGB and Oshmyany District Prosecutor's Office buildings.

In December 2022, he was retried for "disobeying the demands of the administration." In May 2024, Ivan was again convicted of "malicious disobedience" and additionally imprisoned for 2 years.

Vladimir, a former security officer and volunteer for presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's team, was arrested on June 4, 2020 and convicted in June 2021 in the "Tikhanovsky case." The criminal case was opened after a picket that took place on May 29, 2020, in Grodno, where Sergei Tikhanovsky and his supporters were detained.

In 2022, Vladimir was transferred to prison regime.

In July 2023, he was convicted again for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration.”

Since September 2023, Vladimir has been held incommunicado, placed in a cell-type facility (PKT), and regularly issued new disciplinary violations. He has also been deprived of packages, visits, and phone calls.

In February 2025, the third trial took place under the article "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration." Under this article, prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration are tried on the basis of alleged violations. As a result, his total prison term was 6 years.

Sergei was detained on November 17, 2020 and convicted for participating in protests that took place in Minsk on August 9-10, 2020. According to investigators, he "threw at least one stone towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs transport", was at the site of barricade construction, blocked traffic and shouted slogans.

Sergey, a system administrator in the field of local networks and video surveillance, was arrested on October 2, 2020, in connection with a case of mass riots and accused of participating in Telegram channels of a “radical direction”, as well as of intending to damage or destroy three Tabakerka kiosks.

Artem worked as an optician at the Lida Optik plant. He received his education at the Grodno Physics and Mathematics Lyceum and the Lida Polytechnic College. He was detained on September 27, 2020, in connection with a case of mass riots and accused of participating in Telegram channels of a "radical orientation" and of intending to damage or destroy three Tabakerka kiosks.

In May 2022, Artem was convicted again for participating in protests that took place in Lida in 2020.

Alexander was detained on September 29, 2020, in connection with a case of mass riots and accused of participating in Telegram channels of a “radical orientation,” as well as of intending to damage or destroy three Tabakerka kiosks.

On August 12, 2020, Alexander was detained when his car was stopped by armed men. He refused to get out, and after being threatened with gunfire, he tried to drive away. During his detention, he was beaten and taken to the hospital with a traumatic brain injury, then transferred to a pretrial detention center. According to investigators, he ran over a police officer's foot. The court found him guilty of attempted murder.

Irina graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences of BSU and in recent years was engaged in her own small business related to flowers and souvenir production. She was detained on January 12, 2021, along with Andrey Alexandrov. Irina was accused of "financing protest activities" and paying fines to protesters. She was convicted of "treason" and "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order."

On September 1, 2022, the couple got married in Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1.

Belarusian journalist Andrei, detained on January 12, 2021, along with his girlfriend Irina Zlobina, was accused of "financing protest activities" and paying fines to protesters. He was convicted on a number of criminal charges, including "treason" and "participation in an extremist group."

On September 1, 2022, the couple got married in Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1.

Alexey was detained on December 4, 2020, as part of a criminal case on mass riots and convicted of participating in a protest that took place in August 2020 near the Riga shopping center in Minsk.

Kirill was detained on October 28, 2020, and subjected to abuse, threats, and bullying by law enforcement officers. He was later convicted of several criminal charges, including illegal possession of ammunition, which was allegedly planted in his car after his arrest.

A member of the initiative group of presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was detained on September 27, 2020, in Gomel during a peaceful protest and accused of participating in "mass riots" and planning to "seize buildings."

In the winter of 2023, Dmitry was transferred to prison regime.

Evgeny was detained in connection with the mass riots and accused of participating in Telegram channels of a "radical orientation."

In May 2023, he was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration."

A member of the Council of the public movement "Dzeya" was detained on November 3, 2020 and convicted in the case of hacking the computer system of the Minsk City Executive Committee.

Artyom, a former Beltelecom employee, was arrested in October 2020 as part of a criminal case opened under eight articles, including "illegal actions against private information and personal data" and "interference with the activities of a law enforcement officer." Artyom was also reportedly severely beaten during his arrest.

In February 2022, he was convicted of "transferring personal and other personal data of more than 150 individuals to Telegram channels deemed extremist" and sentenced to a long prison term, as well as to pay a large amount of compensation to the "victims."