Political prisoners

Viktor is a Belarusian businessman and public figure. He founded the international foundation "Chance", initiated the projects "Teart" and "Art-Belarus", thanks to which works of art were returned to the country. Under his leadership, Belgazprombank became one of the largest banks in Belarus. In 2020, he put forward his candidacy in the presidential elections, which attracted widespread support, as a result of which in June 2020 he was arrested and later convicted on economic charges.

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.

Andrey was arrested on September 27, 2020, during a protest in Grodno after he tried to protect and help a man lying on the ground. As a result, he was convicted of "violence against a police officer."

At the end of December 2021, Andrey was transferred to prison regime.

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

In 2022, he was transferred to prison regime.

In July 2023, Vladimir was re-convicted for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration.”

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.

An activist of the European Belarus movement and a principled opponent of the current regime, Maksim has been repeatedly subjected to repression for his peaceful opposition activities: fines, arrests, attacks and intimidation. On January 22, 2021, he was detained and convicted of “preparing for mass riots.”

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.

Victoria, the administrator of the channel “Drivers 97%”, was detained on November 4, 2020 in Minsk by GUBOPiK officers and convicted of “calls for mass riots and blocking roads in connection with dissatisfaction with the authorities and election fraud.”

In 2022 and 2023, the court increased her prison term twice, accusing her of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of the correctional institution." Victoria was repeatedly subjected to pressure in the colony and was recognized as a "malicious violator."

According to the schedule on the Supreme Court website, Victoria's case will be heard on October 28, 2024, in the Rechitsa District Court. The woman is accused for the third time under Part 1 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.

On December 18, 2024, the appeal was heard in the Gomel Regional Court.

As of the end of December 2024, she was transferred to Penal Colony No. 24.

Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk reported that Elena Gnauk and Victoria Kulsha were placed in a PKT: "After several weeks in a punishment cell, they were transferred to a PKT. It is 99% that they will again fabricate Article 411 against them."

Polina also added: "Victoria Kulsha's kidneys have probably already failed. She went on hunger strikes for months, she refused water and drink. She cut her veins. They threw her in the punishment cell with this - she cut her veins in the punishment cell. She went on hunger strikes in the punishment cell. She refused medical help."

Victoria was supposed to be released in April 2025 after her term expired. But in early April, she was transferred to Gomel's SIZO-3 as part of the fourth criminal case under Part 1 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience to the legal demands of the colony administration).