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Igor was convicted in July 2021 in a criminal case opened in connection with the August 2020 events in Minsk. According to the prosecution, he took part in protests that took place in the capital from August 9 to 11, 2020. Minsktrans estimated the damage from the public transportation shutdown during those days at 27,958 rubles 50 kopecks. After the verdict was announced, Igor was taken into custody right in the courtroom.
In May 2025, he was released, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
- Associations
- Detained under 18 years
- Associations
- Detained under 18 years
Maxim was convicted of participating in "mass riots" in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against falsifications in the presidential elections that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest. Before the trial, he was under a written undertaking not to leave the country, but at the trial on July 19, 2021, the measure of restraint was changed and he was taken into custody.
In September 2022, as part of a pardon, his sentence was replaced with "house arrest".
In March 2024, a court hearing was held regarding Maxim “on replacing the restriction of freedom without sending him to an open-type correctional facility.”
Dmitry was convicted of participating in "mass riots" in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against falsifications in the presidential elections that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest. Before the trial, he was under a written undertaking not to leave the country, but at the trial on July 19, 2021, the measure of restraint was changed and he was taken into custody.
He was released in May 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Students
- Associations
- Students
Dmitry was convicted of participating in "mass riots" in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against falsifications in the presidential elections that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest. Before the trial, he was under a written undertaking not to leave the country, but at the trial on July 19, 2021, the measure of restraint was changed and he was taken into custody.
According to human rights activists, he was released in May 2024, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
Artem was detained in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against falsifications in the presidential elections that took place in Brest on August 10, 2020. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots."
He was released in November 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Sergei was convicted of leaving graffiti on various sites in Slonim and the Slonim district, including bus stops in the village of Shiloviči, following election fraud and the beating of peaceful protesters in 2020. One of the graffiti on an abandoned wall referred to the head of the local police department and conveyed the message: "The people will not forgive."
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- Military
- Civil servants
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Military
- Civil servants
- Parents of minors
Sergei, a retired lieutenant colonel who participated in a video message from reserve officers to the Belarusian military, was detained on July 16, 2021, following a search of his home.
According to Lukashenko's decree, he was stripped of his military rank after 28 years of impeccable service in the Armed Forces. Sergei is a father of four children, two of whom are minors.
In December 2021, he was charged with organizing, preparing, or actively participating in actions that grossly violate public order. Sergei was sentenced to restricted freedom without being sent to a correctional facility and released in the courtroom.
He was convicted again in October 2025. The appellate court sent the case back for retrial. Ultimately, during the retrial, the case was dismissed due to the statute of limitations, and Sergei was released from the courtroom.
- Associations
- Activists
- Human rights activists
- Associations
- Activists
- Human rights activists
Yulia, a human rights activist and volunteer at the Moscow Center for Civil Society and Information (MCGI) "Our House," and the daughter of renowned human rights activist Natalia Goryachko-Basalyga, was detained on July 14, 2021, as part of a criminal case opened under the article "Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them."
In March 2022, the court found Yulia guilty and sentenced her to imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.
Yulia was released in the courtroom. Her time in custody was counted toward her sentence, so her sentence was considered fully served.
- Associations
- Activists
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Activists
- Parents of minors
Timur, an activist with the "Honest People" initiative, was arrested on June 16, 2021, at the premiere of the play "White Rabbit, Red Rabbit" and convicted twice under administrative law. After 30 days of administrative arrest, he was not released and was transferred to a pretrial detention center as part of a criminal case opened under the article "Organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order, or active participation therein."
In September 2021, he was found guilty and sentenced to restricted freedom and sent to an open correctional facility.
Timur left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Anastasia was convicted in July 2021 for participating in post-election protests that took place in Minsk in August–September 2020.
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- Twice political prisoners
- Human rights activists
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- Twice political prisoners
- Human rights activists
Alexander is the chairman and founder of the Viasna Human Rights Center and former vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights. He is a laureate of the Andrei Sakharov Freedom Prize and other international human rights awards. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times and won it in 2022.
Alexander had previously been prosecuted. On August 4, 2011, he was arrested after Lithuania and Poland handed over his bank account information to Belarusian authorities. He was charged with concealing income on an especially large scale. On November 24, 2011, the court sentenced him to imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony with confiscation of property. Alexander pleaded not guilty, claiming that the funds were used exclusively for human rights activities. EU countries, the United States, and international human rights organizations recognized him as a political prisoner, and his sentence was politically motivated. He was released in the summer of 2014 under an amnesty.
On July 14, 2021, Alexander was arrested again following a search of his apartment and office as part of a tax evasion case. In September 2022, that case was dropped, but he was charged with new charges of smuggling and financing group activities that grossly violate public order.
In March 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay substantial compensation. He pleaded not guilty in court.
In early November 2023, Alexander was placed in a PKT for trumped-up reasons. In April–May 2024, he was returned to his unit, but he continues to be under increased scrutiny. He works in woodworking, receives penalties, and is deprived of parcels, video calls, and correspondence. It is known that his previous stint in the Bobruisk penal colony has left him with health problems that persist.
On December 13, 2025, he was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Lithuania.
- Associations
- Human rights activists
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Human rights activists
- Parents of minors
Valentyn, a member of the Viasna Council and Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), is one of the most renowned human rights experts and analysts. He actively advocates for non-discrimination and against the death penalty, and has participated in international conferences, human rights missions, and election observation missions in OSCE countries.
On July 14, 2021, following a search of his apartment, he was taken away for questioning and then remanded in custody as part of a criminal case under the articles "tax evasion" and "organizing actions that grossly violate public order."
In September 2022, the tax evasion case was dropped, but new charges were brought against Valentin: smuggling and financing group activities that grossly violate public order.
On October 27, 2022, during the 41st Congress of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Valentin Stefanovic was re-elected as Vice-President of the organization.
In March 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay substantial compensation. Valentin pleaded not guilty in court.
According to available information, the conditions of detention were tightened and he was transferred to prison regime.
On March 19, 2026, he was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Lithuania.
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- Activists
- Human rights activists
- Parents of minors
- Lawyers
- Associations
- Activists
- Human rights activists
- Parents of minors
- Lawyers
Vladimir, a lawyer for the Viasna human rights center and coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign, was detained along with his wife on July 14, 2021, following a search of their apartment. He was taken to the Financial Investigation Department and then to the Investigative Committee for questioning, after which he was remanded in custody for tax evasion.
In September 2022, the case under this article was dismissed, but new charges were brought against Vladimir: smuggling and financing group actions that grossly violate public order.
Vladimir is a finalist for the 2022 Belarusian Human Rights Community Award in the Human Rights Defender of the Year category.
In March 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay substantial compensation. He pleaded not guilty in court.
According to available information, the conditions of detention were tightened, and Vladimir was transferred to a prison regime.
On December 13, 2025, he was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Ukraine.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Nina, director of the Angels Band investor association, was detained along with her husband, Vladimir Labkovich, a lawyer with the Viasna human rights center, on July 14, 2021, following a search of their apartment. Following the search, Nina was taken to the Financial Investigation Department and then to the Investigative Committee for questioning. She was subsequently remanded in custody as part of the criminal case.
Released on July 23, 2021.
- Associations
- Activists
- Human rights activists
- Associations
- Activists
- Human rights activists
Elena, a human rights activist at the Viasna center, editor of the Belarusian Prison Literature book series, and co-author of the book Well, You Understand Everything Yourself!, also wrote letters to political prisoners.
She was detained on July 14, 2021, during a mass arrest of civil society representatives. Her home was searched, after which Elena was taken to the Investigative Committee and held in custody for 72 hours.
Released on July 17, 2021.