Elena Dmitrievna Pyrkh
- Home
- Involved in repression
- Elena Dmitrievna Pyrkh
Elena Dmitrievna Pyrkh
Pyrkh Elena Dmitrievna participated in the persecution of political prisoners. All provocations by the administration of the correctional facility took place under her control. She was present at all searches in the cells of political prisoners, while displaying aggression, threatening and insulting female prisoners. Forbidden objects, usually pills or needles, were planted in the cells of women who, in the opinion of the administration, needed to be punished, which Pyrkh then "found". After that, she took the prisoner to the regime department and wrote a report. Another form of psychological pressure was "fire safety drills", when Pyrkh suddenly came to the detachment and demanded that all prisoners "take out" their things in an organized manner within 10 minutes. If the prisoners did not manage to complete this task within the specified time, everything started over again. Pyrkh shouted, insulted and humiliated the prisoners. If she didn't like something, she could make the entire unit stand in the sun, rain or cold for several hours, during which time people had to read the internal regulations. She often wrote reports on political prisoners, demanded that the regime for them be strengthened at commissions, including at commissions on penalties, insisted on placing them in a punishment cell instead of a reprimand, deprivation of a visit, a parcel, and so on. These actions directly indicate assistance to the repressive policy of the Lukashenko regime in relation to those who do not support the government and violate the rights of prisoners to humane treatment.
Pyrkh Elena Dmitrievna participated in the persecution of political prisoners. All provocations by the administration of the correctional facility took place under her control. She was present at all searches in the cells of political prisoners, while displaying aggression, threatening and insulting female prisoners. Forbidden objects, usually pills or needles, were planted in the cells of women who, in the opinion of the administration, needed to be punished, which Pyrkh then "found". After that, she took the prisoner to the regime department and wrote a report. Another form of psychological pressure was "fire safety drills", when Pyrkh suddenly came to the detachment and demanded that all prisoners "take out" their things in an organized manner within 10 minutes. If the prisoners did not manage to complete this task within the specified time, everything started over again. Pyrkh shouted, insulted and humiliated the prisoners. If she didn't like something, she could make the entire unit stand in the sun, rain or cold for several hours, during which time people had to read the internal regulations. She often wrote reports on political prisoners, demanded that the regime for them be strengthened at commissions, including at commissions on penalties, insisted on placing them in a punishment cell instead of a reprimand, deprivation of a visit, a parcel, and so on. These actions directly indicate assistance to the repressive policy of the Lukashenko regime in relation to those who do not support the government and violate the rights of prisoners to humane treatment.
List of repressed
- Associations
- Journalists
- Associations
- Journalists
Journalist for the TUT.BY portal. She was detained on November 19, 2020 in connection with a criminal case on the alleged disclosure of medical secrets of Roman Bondarenko, who was beaten to death.
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Parents of minors
Antonina, a trusted person of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was detained on September 6, 2020 and convicted in an administrative case for participating in an unauthorized event. However, after the trial, she was not released, but detained again as part of a criminal case.
In May 2021, Antonina was convicted under the article on “mass riots”.
Released in December 2024 as part of a pardon.
- Associations
- Politicians
- Associations
- Politicians
Maria, a member of the Coordination Council Presidium and head of Viktor Babaryka's headquarters, was kidnapped on September 7, 2020, and taken to the Belarusian-Ukrainian border for deportation. She tore up her passport and refused to leave the country. On September 9, she was detained and taken into custody.
In September 2021, she was convicted of "conspiracy to seize power through unconstitutional means," "calls for action against national security," and "creation of an extremist group."
In November 2022, Maria underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer and peritonitis. Since March 2023, she has been in the penal colony. Due to health issues, she was unable to work; she was even accompanied to formations.
Maria was held incommunicado for a long time. In the summer of 2024, it became known that the administration had isolated her from other prisoners, with guards constantly present. On November 12, 2024, she saw her father for the first time in 18 months.
The meeting took place in the prison hospital, and it's unclear whether she was undergoing treatment or brought there from the PKT. Prior to this, there had been no communication from Maria, and information about her condition was only available from other inmates.
Following this meeting, she was again cut off from communication with the outside world and continues to be held incommunicado.
In February 2025, her sister reported that Maria had been returned to the unit and expressed hope that contact would be restored.
On December 13, 2025, she was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Ukraine.