Alena Dzmitryyeuna Pyrkh

Natalia was arrested in June 2021 on suspicion of planning to set fire to logging equipment. The arrest took place in the evening right on the forestry farm grounds, where she allegedly arrived with her accomplice, Gordeyev, who was actually on assignment from state security agencies.

According to the prosecution, on the evening of June 8, 2021, Natalia and this man prepared Molotov cocktails, which they planned to use to set fire to the equipment. However, the crime was not completed—Natalia was detained before the arson could be committed.

In court, Natalia testified that she had found herself in a difficult situation: in August 2020, an acquaintance of hers was arrested, she had lost her father, and was experiencing difficulties at work. She also confirmed that she had indeed been a member of the "OGSB" chat group and had intended to destroy logging equipment at the forestry enterprise.

In December 2022, she was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a large fine.

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.

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.

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.