Political persecutions

Timur was detained in a criminal case opened after the protests on August 10, 2020 in Brest against election fraud. Returning from work, he was shot with rubber bullets five times. The investigator explained the measure of restraint by the lack of Belarusian citizenship, although Timur has lived in the country with a residence permit for about 23 years. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots", and according to the case materials, the total damage amounted to more than 27 thousand Belarusian rubles.

In June 2023, human rights activists learned that Timur spent more than 100 days in a punishment cell, after which he was transferred to a punishment cell, and then to prison regime.

In July 2024, he was re-convicted for “malicious disobedience to the colony administration.”

On September 11, 2025, it became known that 52 prisoners of the Belarusian regime were forcibly transferred to the territory of Lithuania. Among them are citizens of European countries. Among those released is Timur Rizapur.

Oleg, a Volna FC fan, was arrested on August 10, 2020, as part of a criminal case opened 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 included 109 police officers and officials, who, in addition to prison sentences, demanded approximately 530,000 rubles in compensation from the defendants.

In June 2022, he was transferred to prison regime.

In March 2024, Oleg was convicted again of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration." This article is used to prosecute prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration for fictitious violations.

On December 13, 2025, he was released following a visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, Keith Kellogg, and taken to Ukraine.

Elena 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. She 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.

It is known that Elena is subjected to physical and psychological violence, she has been deprived of all parcels and meetings with loved ones. She regularly receives disciplinary punishments and is in a depressed psychological state. She has also been deprived of parental rights.

On February 12, 2025, with the help of the US State Department, Elena Movshuk , journalist Andrei Kuznechik and a US citizen whose name has not yet been disclosed were released. They were pardoned by Lukashenko. The condition for Elena's release was leaving Belarus. On the eve of her release, she was transferred from Colony No. 24 to the KGB pretrial detention center, from where the next day she was taken with a mask over her eyes to the border with Lithuania.

Details of the release were revealed to CNN by Chris Smith, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs.

"It was a special operation: we crossed the Belarusian border, met with government officials in Minsk, who handed over three detainees to us. We picked them up and took them through Lithuania."

Smith said it was a "unilateral gesture" by Belarusian authorities seeking to improve relations with the United States.

"Lukashenko received nothing in return," he noted.

Galina was detained on December 10, 2020, as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case", which the authorities declared "the organizer of a terrorist group". She was accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" involved in arson of police officers' property. During the investigation, Galina was constantly threatened and forced to incriminate herself. She wrote complaints to the prosecutor's office, but received no answers, and was also subjected to harsh conditions in a punishment cell, which led to her losing consciousness several times. She was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization", "act of terrorism" and "attempted seizure of power".

In the spring of 2024, Galina and two other defendants in the “case” were ordered to pay compensation for damage to the police officers’ property in the amount of more than 40 thousand rubles.

On September 11, 2025, it became known that 52 prisoners of the Belarusian regime were forcibly transferred to the territory of Lithuania. Among them are citizens of European countries. Among those released is Galina Derbysh.

A family friend of presidential candidate Viktor Babariko and the coordinator of his initiative group in one of the districts of Minsk was detained on June 11, 2020, on charges of tax evasion.

On October 12, 2021, Svetlana's preventive measure was changed to a written undertaking not to leave the country.

The coordinator of Viktor Babariko’s initiative group was detained on June 18, 2020, on charges of tax evasion.

On October 12, 2021, the preventive measure for Dmitry was changed to a written undertaking not to leave.

Viktor is a Belarusian businessman and public figure. He founded the international foundation "Chance" and initiated the "Teart" and "Art-Belarus" projects, which helped bring works of art back to the country. Under his leadership, Belgazprombank became one of the largest banks in Belarus. In 2020, he ran for president, attracting widespread support. As a result, he was arrested in June 2020 and later convicted of economic crimes.

On December 13, 2025, he was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, Keith Kellogg, and taken to Ukraine.

He was allegedly arrested on January 19, 2021 and later convicted for a comment on Telegram.

Ukrainian citizen Mikhail was detained on September 16, 2020 and spent seven months in the temporary detention facility on Okrestina. He was charged with participating in three marches and organizing protest activities through the Telegram channel "Brave People", including writing protest inscriptions and hanging white-red-white ribbons.

He was released on December 16, 2023, after serving his full sentence, but was immediately arrested again in Mogilev.

Released on February 1, 2024, Mikhail was forced to leave Belarus.

Vadim, an architect, was detained and beaten during a memorial event for Roman Bondarenko on Change Square on November 15, 2020, and hospitalized with injuries. He pleaded not guilty, saying that participating in the event was his civic duty, and was convicted of “participating in group actions that grossly violate public order.”

Left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.

On March 15, 2024, a “special case” was opened against Vadim, and in the summer he was charged in absentia with “conspiracy to seize power,” “assisting extremist activity,” and “creating an extremist group.”

An activist of the European Belarus movement and a principled opponent of the current regime, Maksim has been repeatedly subjected to repression for his peaceful opposition activities: fines, arrests, attacks and intimidation. On January 22, 2021, he was detained and convicted of “preparing for mass riots.”

On September 11, 2025, it became known that 52 prisoners of the Belarusian regime were forcibly transferred to the territory of Lithuania. Among them are citizens of European countries . Among those released is Maksim Viniarsky.

Victoria, the administrator of the "Drivers 97%" channel, was detained on November 4, 2020, in Minsk by GUBOPiK officers and convicted of "calling for mass riots and roadblocks due to dissatisfaction with the government and election fraud."

In 2022 and 2023, the court twice increased her sentence, accusing her of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the correctional facility administration." Victoria had repeatedly been subjected to pressure in the penal colony and was deemed a "malicious violator."

In October 2024, in the Rechitsa District Court, Victoria was convicted for the third time under the article "malicious disobedience to the lawful demands of the penal colony administration" and sentenced to another year of imprisonment.

In early 2025, Polina Sharendo-Panasyuk reported that Victoria and Elena Gnauk had been placed in a punishment cell: "After several weeks in solitary confinement, they were transferred to a punishment cell. There's a 99% chance they'll be charged again under Article 411."

Polina also added: "Viktoria Kulsha's kidneys have probably already failed. She went on hunger strikes for months, refusing water and drink. She slit her wrists. They threw her in solitary confinement for this—she slit her wrists in solitary confinement. She went on hunger strikes in the PKT. She refused medical attention."

Victoria was scheduled to be released in April 2025 upon completion of her sentence. However, at the beginning of the month, she was transferred to Gomel Pretrial Detention Center No. 3 as part of a fourth criminal case under the article "malicious disobedience of the legal demands of the prison administration." In June of that year, her sentence was extended by another year.

On December 13, 2025, she was released following a visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, Keith Kellogg, and taken to Ukraine.

On the night of August 10-11, 2020, Alexandra was detained in Minsk. She went out to help people who had suffered from the actions of security forces, but was faced with shelling and mass detentions. Alexandra spent three days in the Okrestina detention center, where she was tortured, including beatings and threats of sexual violence. She was then released, but on October 16, 2020, she was arrested again as part of a criminal case, accused of participating in "group actions that grossly violate public order."

An anesthesiologist working at the Emergency Hospital in Minsk was detained on November 19, 2020 and convicted for allegedly disclosing medical secrets regarding the condition of Raman Bondarenko, who was brutally beaten by security forces in the courtyard of his home and died in hospital from cerebral edema.

The leader of the public organization "Alternative" was detained on October 25, 2020 and convicted of "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order."