All persecuted

Dmitry was arrested and convicted for blocking the road with a utility vehicle during a protest that took place in Minsk from August 10 to 11, 2020.

Vladimir was arrested on August 18, 2020, in the so-called "Korelichi case" related to alleged unrest in Korelichi and Navahrudak following the presidential election. He was convicted of "organizing mass unrest" and insulting Lukashenko.

In Correctional Colony No. 17, Vladimir was subjected to systematic beatings and biased treatment, including frequent placement in a punishment cell and a cell-type facility.

In April 2023, his sentence was increased and he was transferred to prison.

Oleg was arrested and convicted for "hitting" a police officer during a street march in Vitebsk on September 13, 2020. In September 2021, he was transferred to prison for "violating the rules of the order."

In August 2022, Oleg was re-convicted for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of the correctional institution” and was given another year of imprisonment.

On July 25, 2023, the political prisoner was again convicted of “disobeying the demands of the administration” and sentenced to another year in prison.

In September 2024, another hearing was held on the criminal case against Oleg for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of the correctional institution” - a charge that is often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the prison administration.

Throughout his imprisonment, Oleg is constantly under pressure. He is regularly sent to a punishment cell, where he is kept in isolation for dozens of days.

Sergei was detained in his apartment, severely beaten and convicted of “violence against a policeman” in Gomel. Sergei said that after the brutal detention, they continued to beat him at the Central District Department of Internal Affairs.

“They beat me, jumped on my head, insulted me and laughed when I cried,” Vereshchagin said. The lawyer added that he received at least 100 blows to different parts of his body.

In October 2021, he was transferred to prison regime.

Andrei was detained on August 30, 2020, during a Sunday protest in Minsk and convicted of trying to stop another protester from being detained.

From September 28, 2021, he was transferred to prison regime for 3 years.

He was convicted of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards security forces during a protest that took place on August 10, 2020 in Baranovichi.

Sergei was detained and convicted for spraying a pepper spray at a riot police officer during a protest on August 9, 2020 in Gomel against election fraud.

In June 2023 and May 2024, he was convicted twice of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration." This article is used to try prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration, often on trumped-up charges. As a result, his sentence was extended by two years, to five years.

Dmitry was arrested on August 15, 2020 and convicted of threatening a police lieutenant colonel and setting his outbuilding on fire.

Nikita was detained in October 2019 and convicted of attacks on the buildings of Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1 and the Minsk City Court in Minsk in solidarity with political prisoners. He was initially sentenced to 7 years in prison, but after an appeal, the term was reduced to 4 years. In May 2020, Nikita was transferred to prison regime.

In March 2022, he was convicted again of “malicious disobedience to the demands of correctional authorities,” a charge often applied to inmates who refuse to cooperate with prison authorities. In March 2023, he was transferred back to prison mode.

Throughout his imprisonment, Nikita is constantly under pressure. He is often sent to solitary confinement, where he is kept in isolation for dozens of days. He is deprived of visits from his family, his correspondence is restricted, and his personal belongings are confiscated. In response to the harsh conditions of detention, Nikita protests with hunger strikes and by refusing to comply with the administration's demands. He is also regularly subjected to penalties for minor violations, such as refusing to clean the courtyard or for inter-cell communication.

Three months before his release, in February 2025, Nikita had another court hearing on charges of “malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional facility,” as a result of which he was sentenced to another year of imprisonment.

By December 2024, Nikita had spent a total of 568 days in solitary confinement, including 2 months of continuous isolation.

Nikolai, a blogger, journalist and anarchist activist, was detained on November 11, 2020, by GUBOPiK and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During his detention, he was beaten, pepper sprayed in his eyes and forced to appear in a video for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After his detention, Nikolai was tortured, demanding access to Telegram channels.

He was convicted on charges of organizing protests and extremism. In prison, he was repeatedly punished: sent to solitary confinement, punishment cells, and restricted in communication. In 2023, Nikolai continued to receive penalties for minor violations. In 2024, a new case was opened against him under the article for "disobeying the demands of the administration of a correctional institution" - it is applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate, for fictitious violations.

In October 2024, it became known that he had been in a punishment cell (SHIZO) for the fourth month.

Popular Belarusian blogger and creator of the YouTube channel "Country for Life" Sergei expressed a desire to run for president. However, before the start of the election campaign, he was arrested for organizing an unauthorized event. His wife, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, submitted documents to the Central Election Commission by proxy, but Sergei was not registered as a candidate due to the lack of his signature. Subsequently, Svetlana herself was registered as a candidate. After his release, Sergei became her trusted person and participated in collecting signatures.

On May 29, 2020, he was detained again during a picket in Grodno and later convicted under several criminal articles, including "organizing mass riots" and "inciting hatred." According to human rights activists, the defendants in the "case" are required to pay compensation in the amount of 29 million rubles.

In August 2022, the court transferred Sergei to prison regime. In February 2023, he was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional institution" - an article applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration, including for fictitious violations. As a result, another year and a half of imprisonment was added to his 18-year sentence.

Nikolai was detained on May 31, 2020, on his way to a pre-election picket of presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. He was initially sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest, but was never released. He was subsequently convicted in the criminal "Tikhanovsky case" for "organizing mass riots."

According to human rights activists, the defendants in the “case” are required to pay compensation in the amount of 29 million rubles.

Igor, a consultant for Radio Liberty and administrator of the Belarus of the Brain Telegram channel, was arrested on June 25, 2020, on charges of “participating in group actions that grossly violate public order.” However, he was later convicted of “organizing mass riots” as part of the criminal “Tikhanovsky case.”

According to human rights activists, the defendants in the “case” are required to pay compensation in the amount of 29 million rubles.

Evgeny was arrested in November 2020 and convicted in a criminal case brought for blocking railway tracks and hanging scarecrows in Brest.

In the winter of 2024, he was transferred to prison regime.

Yevgeny was convicted of participating in “mass riots” in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest against falsification in the presidential elections.