Denis Anatolyevich Tolstoystenkov

Tatyana is a co-founder of the Sympa school for young public administration managers, an expert in the Bipart research project, and a Master of Political Science.

She was detained in Minsk on the night of June 28-29, 2021, at the airport while going through passport control to leave the country. It is known that Tatyana was going to fly on a night flight to Tbilisi. It later became known that she was detained in connection with an initiated criminal case. Tatyana was taken to the temporary detention facility on Okrestina, and a few days later transferred to a pretrial detention center.

On February 6, 2023, the court began considering her case on charges of "aiding actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions that harm national security," and "inciting social hatred." On March 17 of the same year, the court sentenced Tatyana in a closed session to 10 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

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

On June 30, 2021, after a search of her home by KGB officers, Valeria was detained and placed in an isolation ward, later transferred to a pre-trial detention center.

On February 6, 2023, the court began considering her case on charges of "aiding actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions that harm national security," and "inciting social hatred." On March 17, 2023, the court sentenced Valeria in a closed session to 10 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

Lyudmila is the former CEO of TUT.BY. She worked at TUT.BY since 2008: first as a legal adviser, later as a director. In 2017, she headed Tut By Media.

In May 2021, she was arrested in connection with a criminal case opened on charges of tax evasion.

In October 2022, the KGB added Lyudmila to a list of those “involved in terrorist activities.” She was later also charged with “inciting hatred” and “calling for actions against national security.”

The trial was held behind closed doors and lasted more than two months - 37 sessions in total. In March 2023, Lyudmila was sentenced to a long prison term and a large fine.

Marina has been the editor-in-chief of TUT.BY since 2004 and is known for her interest in Balkan culture and knowledge of the Bulgarian language.

In 2019, she was fined in a criminal case under the article on “inaction of an official” for accessing BelTA materials; human rights activists recognized this case as politically motivated.

In May 2021, she was arrested on charges of tax evasion, but the charges were later dropped.

In October 2022, the KGB added Marina to the list of those “involved in terrorist activities.” She was later also charged with “inciting hatred” and “calling for actions against national security.”

The trial was held behind closed doors and lasted more than two months, with 37 hearings in total. In March 2023, she was sentenced to a long prison term.

Since 2020, Elena has been subjected to systematic persecution for political reasons: she has been detained and arrested under administrative articles 17 times, and has been fined a total of 173 basic units. Her home has been searched several times.

In May 2021, Elena was convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order" in a criminal case opened after a protest on September 13, 2020 in Brest, where participants sang songs and danced in circles, and a water cannon was used against them. According to the prosecution, the protest disrupted the operation of transport. She was sentenced to restriction of freedom without being sent to an institution.

In September of the same year, Elena was convicted again for “insulting Lukashenko.” The combined sentences amounted to three years of “house arrest.”

In January 2022, she was arrested for "violating the serving of a sentence" and sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest. However, she was never released - she was transferred to a pretrial detention center as part of a new criminal case initiated for slandering Lukashenko and discrediting the Republic of Belarus. In June, she was sentenced to imprisonment and a large fine.

In April 2023, Elena was convicted again under the article "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration." This article is often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration, for fictitious violations.

It is known that physical and psychological pressure is constantly applied to Elena. She is regularly placed in solitary confinement and PKT, deprived of almost all parcels, calls, visits, and her merchandise allowance was reduced from three basic units to one.

In February 2025, Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk reported that Elena had been placed in the PKT again: “After several weeks in the punishment cell, she was transferred to the PKT. It is 99% likely that Article 411 will be fabricated against her again.”

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.

A well-known public figure, previously a member of the United Civil Party, was detained on January 4, 2021, as part of the "Autukhovich case" and accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" linked to arson of police property. Olga was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization," "attempted seizure of power," "inciting hatred," "calls for sanctions," and "illegal actions with weapons."

In custody, the political prisoner was suspected of having diabetes. In March 2024, she was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration."

Irina was detained in December 2020 along with her son as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case." The authorities called Nikolai Avtukhovich "the organizer and leader of a terrorist group." She was accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" involved in arson of police property. Irina was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization," "act of terrorism," "attempted seizure of power," and for participating in a protest that took place in September 2020 in Brest.

Lyubov, the wife of an Orthodox priest, was detained on December 1, 2020, along with her husband and son, as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case." The authorities called Nikolai Avtukhovich "the organizer and leader of a terrorist group." According to the investigation, she helped Avtukhovich collect information about law enforcement officers and provided housing where the participants in the "case" stored weapons. Lyubov was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization," "act of terrorism," "attempted seizure of power," and "illegal actions in relation to firearms."

Irina graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences of BSU and in recent years was engaged in her own small business related to flowers and souvenir production. She was detained on January 12, 2021, along with Andrey Alexandrov. Irina was accused of "financing protest activities" and paying fines to protesters. She was convicted of "treason" and "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order."

On September 1, 2022, the couple got married in Pre-trial Detention Center No. 1.

Victoria, the administrator of the channel “Drivers 97%”, was detained on November 4, 2020 in Minsk by GUBOPiK officers and convicted of “calls for mass riots and blocking roads in connection with dissatisfaction with the authorities and election fraud.”

In 2022 and 2023, the court increased her prison term twice, accusing her of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of the correctional institution." Victoria was repeatedly subjected to pressure in the colony and was recognized as a "malicious violator."

According to the schedule on the Supreme Court website, Victoria's case will be heard on October 28, 2024, in the Rechitsa District Court. The woman is accused for the third time under Part 1 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.

On December 18, 2024, the appeal was heard in the Gomel Regional Court.

As of the end of December 2024, she was transferred to Penal Colony No. 24.

Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk reported that Elena Gnauk and Victoria Kulsha were placed in a PKT: "After several weeks in a punishment cell, they were transferred to a PKT. It is 99% that they will again fabricate Article 411 against them."

Polina also added: "Victoria Kulsha's kidneys have probably already failed. She went on hunger strikes for months, she refused water and drink. She cut her veins. They threw her in the punishment cell with this - she cut her veins in the punishment cell. She went on hunger strikes in the punishment cell. She refused medical help."

Victoria was supposed to be released in April 2025 after her term expired. But in early April, she was transferred to Gomel's SIZO-3 as part of the fourth criminal case under Part 1 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience to the legal demands of the colony administration).

Marfa, a coordinator of the Viasna volunteer service, was detained on September 17, 2020. She was accused of "preparing for mass riots" and other "crimes." In February 2021, she was charged with additional charges, including "inciting social discord" and "participation in a criminal organization."

In September 2022, the court sentenced her to 15 years in prison, later reduced by three months. Marfa's health deteriorated in prison, including due to COVID.

A well-known activist and confidant of presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Gomel. Tatyana has been fighting for changes to anti-drug legislation for several years as part of the "Movement of Mothers 328" initiative. On August 6, 2020, she was detained in her own home, accused of "mass riots" and plans to "seize buildings."

In January 2022, it became known that Tatyana had been transferred to prison regime.

According to human rights activists, she is deprived of the right to visits and is allowed to receive only one small parcel per year. Letters from Tatyana come extremely rarely. In addition, she has developed problems with her spine.

Maria, a member of the presidium of the Coordination Council and head of Viktor Babariko'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 under the articles: “conspiracy to seize power by unconstitutional means,” “calls for action against national security,” and “creation of an extremist group.”

In November 2022, Maria underwent surgery due to a perforated ulcer and peritonitis. Since March 2023, she was in the PKT. Due to health problems, she did not work, she was even accompanied to the formations.

Maria was kept 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 with her. On November 12, 2024, she met her father for the first time in 18 months.

The meeting took place in a prison hospital, and it is not known for sure whether she was being treated or was brought there from the PKT. Before this, there had been no communication from Maria, and her condition became known only from the words of other prisoners.

Following this meeting, she was again cut off from communication with the outside world and continues to be kept incommunicado.

In February 2025, her sister reported that Maria had been returned to the unit and expressed hope that communication would be restored.