Dmitry, the former director of the BelaPAN news agency, was detained on August 18, 2021, following a search and questioning by the Investigative Committee. He was initially placed in pretrial detention for 72 hours as part of a criminal case under the article "organizing or preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or participating in them." However, he was not released and was transferred to a pretrial detention center 10 days later. The charge was later amended to tax evasion.
In November 2021, it was revealed that Dmitry had also been charged with "creating an extremist group." In October 2022, he was found guilty of "participating in an extremist group" and "tax evasion," sentenced to imprisonment, imposed a large fine, and banned from holding certain positions for five years.
On September 16, 2026, he was released after a visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Lithuania.
