All persecuted

Aleksander, a football player for the Krumkachyov club, a journalist for Tribuna.com and the author of the YouTube channel ChestnOK, was detained at home on June 3, 2021. He was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest under Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses - allegedly for the flag on the window, but after serving his term he was not released and transferred to a pre-trial detention center in a criminal case on "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order." In January 2022, Oleksandr was sentenced to imprisonment.

He was released in February 2023, having fully served his sentence.

Valeria is a political scientist, founder and editor of the website of the expert community "Our Opinion," author and editor of the "Belarusian Yearbook," and head of the expert monitoring group "Belarus in Focus."

On June 30, 2021, following a search of her home by KGB officers, Valeria was detained and placed in a detention center, later transferred to a pretrial detention center.

On February 6, 2023, the court began hearing her case on charges of "aiding and abetting actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions harmful to national security," and "inciting social discord." On March 17, 2023, the court, behind closed doors, sentenced Valeria to 10 years' imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

She was released on March 20, 2026, as part of a pardon following another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole.

Alexander, TUT.BY's Deputy Director for Technical Issues, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case brought against TUT.BY on charges of large-scale tax evasion.

In March 2022, he was released from pretrial detention on bail. The charges against him were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Alexander and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously submitted by them.

Angela, chief accountant of TUT.BY, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In March 2022, she was released from pretrial detention on her own recognizance. The charges against her were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Angela and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Sergey, CEO of Hoster.by, was arrested on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case brought against TUT.BY on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In September 2021, he was released from pretrial detention on bail. The charges against him were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Sergei and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Yulia, a Belarusian writer, cultural scientist, professor and widow of TUT.BY founder Yuri Zisser, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

Her house was searched, during which her heart began to fail - she had a hypertensive crisis. Yulia was taken to the hospital under escort. After being discharged that same day, her whereabouts remained unknown for more than a day. It later became known that Yulia had been placed under house arrest.

In January 2022, the preventive measure was changed from house arrest to a written undertaking not to leave the country. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Yulia and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously submitted by them.

Irina, a former lawyer for TUT.BY, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In April 2022, it became known that the preventive measure was changed from house arrest to a written undertaking not to leave. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Irina and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Roman is a Belarusian journalist and former editor of the Telegram channels NEXTA and Belarus of the Brain, which have been declared extremist by the authorities. In 2020, he was charged with several criminal offenses, including “organizing mass riots” and “inciting hatred.” In May 2021, he was detained after Belarusian authorities forcibly landed a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius in Minsk.

In June of that year, he was transferred to house arrest.

The trial in the "NEXTA case" began in 2023. Roman was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony, but after the verdict was announced, he was not taken into custody and remained under house arrest.

He was released in May 2023 as part of a pardon.

Andrey, a TUT.BY manager and an employee of the Publisher Box company, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case brought against TUT.BY on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In March 2022, he was released from pretrial detention on bail. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Andrei and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously submitted by them.

Irina, deputy director of TUT.BY and one of the first employees of Tut By Media LLC, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case brought against TUT.BY on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale .

In March 2022, she was released from pretrial detention on her own recognizance. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Irina and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Maria, deputy chief accountant of TUT.BY, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In March 2022, she was released from pretrial detention on her own recognizance. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Maria and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Alla, the chief engineer of TUT.BY, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In May 2022, she was released from pretrial detention on bail. The charges were not dropped.

In April 2023, it became known that the criminal prosecution against Alla and eight other defendants in the “TUT.BY case” was terminated based on the positive consideration of the petitions for release from criminal liability previously filed by them.

Darya, a TAM.BY manager and RocketData director, was detained on May 18, 2021, as part of a criminal case against TUT.BY, initiated on charges of tax evasion on an especially large scale.

In April 2022, she was convicted under the article "Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." She was sentenced to imprisonment, but was released in the courtroom, since at the time of sentencing she had already served her entire term in custody during the investigation.