Potential persecutions

A 38-year-old individual entrepreneur from Mazyr was convicted for making comments on the Punishers of Belarus telegram channel about Alexander Aleksa, a GUBOPiK employee, and Marina Klimchuk, a judge of the Leninsky district.

Mikhail was found guilty in June 2021 in a criminal case opened for insulting Lukashenko. The trial was held behind closed doors, so the details of the case are unknown.

Mikhail was represented at the hearing by a legal representative. Friends of the accused reported that he was already quite elderly.

Alexander was arrested on December 16, 2021, in connection with a criminal case involving group actions that grossly violate public order, and in March 2022, he was convicted of participating in protests that took place in Minsk in 2020.

Nikita was found guilty of grossly disturbing public order in Minsk in August 2020: on the night of August 9-10 and August 30. He allegedly blocked the path of transport - including by "hitching elbows" - and thereby stopped it.

It is unknown whether Nikita served a sentence of restricted freedom with a referral, but if he did, he was supposed to be released in the spring of 2025.

On October 17, 2021, Alla called 102 on her home phone and uttered obscene language toward Lukashenko, after which she was taken into custody pending trial.

In December 2021, Alla was found guilty and sentenced to restricted freedom in an open correctional facility. She was released from custody on her own recognizance not to leave the area until the sentence was final.

Denis was arrested in October 2021 in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them," and was remanded in custody pending trial.

In December 2021, he was convicted of participating in the "March of Unity" protest that took place on September 6, 2020, in Grodno and sentenced to restricted freedom and placement in an open correctional facility.

Daniil was arrested in June 2021 on charges of attacking the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Institute.

In December 2021, he was found guilty of "inciting hatred or discord" and "act of terrorism." According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he, "having succumbed to radical calls in these communities, made a Molotov cocktail according to instructions published online and threw it at the building." The court sentenced Daniil to mandatory security measures and treatment in the form of compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital with enhanced supervision.

In February 2025, a court hearing was held regarding the modification of compulsory security and treatment measures. The outcome of the hearing is unknown.

Vladislav was arrested in November 2021 in connection with a criminal case involving group actions that grossly violated public order. In April 2022, he was found guilty and sentenced to restricted freedom and placement in an open-type facility.

In December 2024, a court hearing was held to discuss the issue of replacing the restricted freedom sentence with a prison term in a penal colony. The outcome of the hearing, as well as Vladislav's presence, remains unknown.

Alexey was convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order" in a criminal case opened following a protest that took place in Brest on September 13, 2020. During the protest, people were singing and dancing in circles, and a water cannon was used against them.

Dmitry, a crane operator at MTZ's core section, was detained on September 16, 2021, by KGB officers as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them," and was remanded in custody.

Date and sentence unknown; presumably convicted for participating in post-election protests that took place in Minsk in 2020.

In September 2022, a court hearing was held on the issue of compensation for damage caused to KTUP Minsktrans.

Igor was convicted for leaving a comment on the social media site Odnoklassniki under a photo of Vitaly Kuleshov, head of the Gantsevichi District Police Department: "Not much longer, you bastard. It's time to start fearing your own people." He was sentenced to restricted freedom and sent to an open facility.

Yuri was first detained on August 11, 2020, in Gomel and brutally beaten at the Novobelitsky District Police Department. He was charged with participating in an unsanctioned public event and sentenced to 12 days of administrative arrest.

In July 2021, Yuri was arrested again, this time in connection with a criminal case opened under the articles "insulting a government official," "insulting a judge," and "insulting Lukashenko." According to the prosecution, he subscribed to Telegram channels that published the personal information of law enforcement officers and, from December 2020 to April 2021, posted "offensive comments expressed in an obscene manner."

In November 2021, Yuri was found guilty of insulting 23 people — officials, judges, police officers, prosecutors, and Lukashenko — and sentenced to compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

Yuri was not present at the court hearings. According to his relatives, he was depressed, suffered panic attacks, and suffered from psychosomatic disorders. He also reportedly lost more than 35 kilograms during his imprisonment. His father acted as his legal representative.

Andrei was found guilty of posting a comment containing obscene insults against Senior Lieutenant Ruslan Kornevich, a district police inspector at the Nesvizh District Police Department, on January 19, 2021. According to the prosecution, the comment was intended to "humiliate the honor and dignity of a government official" and "cause emotional distress."

On March 27, 2021, Ivan and his brother Sergei were returning home along Independence Avenue in Minsk and took a photo of passing military equipment along the way, after which they were detained. At the Pervomaisky District Department of Internal Affairs, two reports were drawn up against them - under Articles 24.23 and 24.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses ("participation in an unauthorized rally" and "disobedience to a lawful demand of an official").

At the trial, the brothers asked not to order arrest, since their mother had recently suffered a stroke and needed care. Despite this, each was sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest.

After serving his administrative sentence, Ivan was transferred to a pretrial detention facility. The grounds and nature of the charges remain unknown.

A resident of Svetlogorsk was convicted for a comment in the group "Punishermen of Belarus", which the Zhlobin District Court considered as an insult to a police officer. He was sentenced to a restriction of freedom in a correctional institution, ordered to pay compensation for moral damage, his phone was confiscated and his car was seized.