Dmitry Vladimirovich Aleshkevich

Denis is a journalist and volunteer editor for the Belarusian version of InformNapalm, a freelance correspondent for Novaga Chas. His investigations touched on the influence of the "Russian world" on Belarus and Syria, construction in Kurapaty, and the transition of former Ukrainian Berkut officers to the Belarusian security forces.

In March 2021, he was detained by KGB officers on charges of "interfering with the activities of the police." Searches were conducted in his apartment, his mother's apartment, and his 95-year-old grandmother's apartment. In 2022, it became known that he was also accused of collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence.

In September 2022, Denis was convicted under articles on "treason" and "interference in the activities of an internal affairs officer", but the latter charge was later replaced with "illegal collection or dissemination of data about personal life".

In June 2023, he was transferred to a maximum security prison without notifying his family or lawyer.

In April 2024, the political prisoner was deprived of parcels, and sending vitamins now requires permission from the prison doctor.

Nikita was arrested and convicted of throwing a Molotov cocktail towards military personnel on August 10, 2020, according to investigators. The prosecution claimed that the bottles were hidden and given to him by Leonid Kovalev with an offer to set fire to a building, bus, or paddy wagon. Nikita refused to testify, did not admit guilt, and reported physical and psychological pressure in the pretrial detention center. At the time of his arrest, he was 16 years old and suffers from epilepsy.

In July 2021, he was convicted again under the article on "violence or threat of violence" for an incident with pretrial detention center employees. In June 2022, Nikita was transferred to an adult colony after turning 18, and in August of the same year, his punishment was toughened, sending him to prison.

In July 2024, the political prisoner was tried for “malicious disobedience to the prison administration,” a charge often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration.

Ekaterina, a journalist for the Belsat TV channel, was reporting live from the courtyard of the Square of Change, where peaceful protesters gathered for a protest rally in Minsk on November 15, 2020, under the slogan "I'm coming out." These were the last words of Raman Bondarenko, who was killed by security forces, and those gathered came to honor his memory. Ekaterina was detained along with her colleague Darya Chultsova during the violent dispersal of the rally and was later convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order."

In April 2022, a new criminal case was opened against Ekaterina, and in July of the same year she was convicted again, accused of “treason” and sentenced to eight years in prison three months before the end of her first sentence.

Alexey was arrested and convicted of weapons possession and allegedly preparing for mass riots with their use. In an interview, he stated that he only admitted guilt in weapons possession and did not understand why the trial was held behind closed doors. Alexey called the charge of preparing riots a "witch hunt."

At the end of December 2021, it became known that Alexei's punishment had been toughened and he had been transferred to prison.

In the winter of 2024, a political prisoner was tried in a new criminal case for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional facility." Under this article, prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration are tried for fictitious violations.

Anton was detained, severely beaten, and later convicted of damaging the car of a policeman's wife in Novaya Borovaya.

His wife and children managed to leave Belarus.

Nikita was arrested in October 2019 and convicted of attacks on the buildings of Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 and the Minsk City Court in Minsk in solidarity with political prisoners. He was initially sentenced to seven years in prison, but on appeal, his sentence was reduced to four years. In May 2020, Nikita was transferred to a prison regime.

In March 2022, he was convicted again of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the correctional facility administration"—a charge often applied to inmates who refuse to cooperate with prison authorities. In March 2023, he was transferred back to the prison regime.

Throughout his imprisonment, Nikita has been subjected to constant pressure. He is frequently placed in solitary confinement, where he is held in isolation for dozens of days. He is denied visits from his family, his correspondence is restricted, and his personal belongings are confiscated. In response to the harsh conditions, Nikita protests with hunger strikes and by refusing to comply with the administration's demands. He is also regularly subjected to penalties for minor infractions, such as refusing to clean the courtyard or for inter-cell communication.

Three months before his release, in February 2025, Nikita faced 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 two months of continuous isolation.

As of the beginning of December 2025, Nikita had spent 648 days in solitary confinement.

Nikolai is the leader of the unregistered Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada), a former presidential candidate, a retired lieutenant colonel, and a PhD in engineering. He was one of the founders of the Belarusian Military Association. He has been imprisoned multiple times for political reasons.

In the 1990s, he organized protests, including the Minsk Spring and the 1999 march.

In 2004, he led street protests against referendum fraud, after which he was sentenced in 2005 to three years of restricted freedom. Due to an amnesty announced in honor of the 60th anniversary of Victory Day, his sentence was reduced by one year. In 2010, he participated in the presidential campaign and protests in Minsk, after which he was arrested and sentenced in 2011 to six years in a maximum-security penal colony. In January 2012 and May 2015, his sentence was increased, resulting in his imprisonment. He was released in August 2015 as part of a pardon.

After his release, he continued his political activity and participation in street protests. In 2016, the Belarusian National Congress was founded on his initiative. In 2020, he spoke out in support of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , the wife of another unregistered candidate, social blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky . Nikolai was detained again on May 31, 2020, on his way to her election picket. He initially received 15 days of administrative arrest but was never released. Subsequently, in December 2021, he was convicted of criminal charges of "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.

On September 11, 2025, it was reported that 52 prisoners of the Belarusian regime had been forcibly transferred to Lithuania. Among those released was Mikalai Statkevich. However, Mikalai refused to leave Belarus, and had to kick down the bus doors to do so. After waiting for several hours in the neutral zone, he returned to Belarus. It was only two months later that he was re-arrested. His exact whereabouts are unknown.

Igor, an activist of the For Freedom movement, was detained in a criminal case initiated due to protests and clashes between Pinsk residents and security forces on the night of August 9-10, 2020. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots." The victims in the case were 109 police officers and officials, who, in addition to imprisonment, demanded about 530 thousand rubles in compensation from the accused.

In January 2022, he was transferred to prison regime.

Pavel was arrested on December 1, 2020, along with Nikolai Autukhovich , whom authorities immediately declared "the organizer and leader of a terrorist group." He was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization" and "act of terrorism."

A trial regarding changes to the prison regime was held in February 2024, but the outcome is still unknown. That spring, Pavel and two other defendants in the "case" were ordered to pay over 40,000 rubles in compensation for damage to police officers' property.

Pavel often has high blood pressure and feels unwell, his feet swell so much that he can’t put on shoes.

Igor is an activist of the anarchist movement and a former political prisoner in the "anarchist case" in 2010. He was detained while crossing the border of Belarus on the night of October 28-29, 2020 and accused of "arson" and "terrorism".

In August 2022, by a court decision, Igor was transferred to prison regime.

In early July 2024, Igor was transferred to a hospital in Kolyadichi. He was admitted there with a suspected stomach ulcer, which worsened after a hunger strike he conducted from June 13 to 26 in the "SHIZO" of Zhodino Prison No. 8, where he is serving his sentence.

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 June 2021 in the "Tikhanovsky case." The criminal case was opened after a picket that took place on May 29, 2020, in Grodno, where Sergei Tikhanovsky and his supporters were detained.

In 2022, Vladimir was transferred to prison regime.

In July 2023, he was convicted again for “malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration.”

Since September 2023, Vladimir has been held incommunicado, placed in a cell-type facility (PKT), and regularly issued new disciplinary violations. He has also been deprived of packages, visits, and phone calls.

In February 2025, the third trial took place under the article "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration." Under this article, prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration are tried on the basis of alleged violations. As a result, his total prison term was 6 years.

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.

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.