Vladimir Martov worked as the head of the anesthesiology and resuscitation department at the Vitebsk Emergency Hospital; his contract was not renewed in April 2021. The doctor was persecuted after he spoke in non-state media about the fact that coronavirus mortality statistics were being hidden.
In February 2022, Martov was arrested for 7 days under Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (Violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events). He was detained at his dacha near Lepel. According to the doctor's wife, he was convicted for a white-red-white flag on his avatar on a social network. After his release, Vladimir Martov left the country.
On May 14, 2024, in the city of Murino in the Leningrad Region, Dr. Vladimir Martov was detained after leaving Belarus. He was wanted internationally for "participation in the activities of an extremist group" for an interview with a foreign media outlet declared an "extremist group" in Belarus. Thanks to his friends and former medical colleagues, Vladimir was successfully evacuated to a European country.
