Alexander, an activist and well-known Belarusian artist, was arrested in late March 2021 on charges of “rehabilitating Nazism” after he displayed a portrait of Yevgeny Zhikhar with a machine gun over his shoulder at an exhibition at the Grodno City Life Center. The prosecutor’s office claimed that Alexander “characterized Zhikhar as a fighter against the Bolsheviks, glorifying his actions.” Despite the threat of prosecution, Alexander did not cancel his return to Belarus from Ukraine, where his exhibition was taking place.
On March 25, 2022, during the trial, he cut his stomach in protest, for which he received 13 days in solitary confinement. He was later convicted of "inciting hatred or discord" and "desecration of state symbols." The political prisoner refused to file an appeal.
As it became known, in November 2022, Alexander's type of punishment was toughened and he was transferred to prison regime.
On July 11, 2023, Alexander died in intensive care due to untimely medical care for a perforated ulcer.
