All persecuted

In December 2024, Roman Yemelyanov was already subjected to repression in an administrative politically motivated case. He was accused of violating the procedure for organizing and holding mass events under Part 1 of Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. At the same time, there have been no mass events in Chechersk in recent years, except for those organized by the authorities. This persecution was probably for some posts on social networks, which the punitive structures of the ruling regime interpret as pickets, since people express some opinions through them.

After this, a criminal case was opened against Roman.

62-year-old employee of the computer science and communications laboratory of the Mozyr Oil Refinery.

Igor Shukanov was demonstratively and harshly detained on August 1, 2024. The GUBOP came for him from Minsk. He was detained right at his workplace. Then, in a factory UAZ-Patriot, he was taken outside the plant's checkpoint. Not far from the bus stop, in the parking lot near the main checkpoint of the plant, where there were people at the time, the GUBOPikovites staged a demonstrative beating of Shukanov - they pulled him out of the UAZ, threw him face down on the asphalt, pressed his knee on his head, and handcuffed him.

It is noteworthy that on the morning of that day Igor was tried under an administrative article for disseminating "extremism." He was given a fine and released - only to be arrested a few hours later.

Mozyr activist and blogger Polina Zyl. As Nasha Niva learned, the girl was charged with participating in protests and being involved in an "extremist group." She is awaiting trial in a pretrial detention center.

Her boyfriend Maksim Shukanov was arrested along with her. There was no information about his release, most likely he is also in the pretrial detention center.

Polina is 31 years old. She is originally from Yelsk, studied in Mozyr. In 2020, the girl supported the protests, even got arrested for a day. Then Polina went into hiding, but remained in the country. Both Zyl and Shukanov were wanted, but did not want to leave Belarus.

Danila is a student at the Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. On October 18, 2024, in the Novobelitsky District Court of Gomel, he and his mother Elena Chibisova were convicted under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (rape distribution of extremist materials). The outcome of that court hearing is unknown.

Elena Bodyako is 29 years old. She is originally from Glubokoe. In 2019, she graduated from the Minsk State Linguistic University. Later, she worked as an English teacher in various private schools - Step by Step, Kidslab and others.

After his arrest he was not released, he is in pretrial detention and has been charged under a criminal article.

It is known about Alexander that he is from Petrikov, where he was engaged in entrepreneurial activity in the field of trade in food products, drinks and tobacco, and owned the Saleman store.

In October 2020, the man joined the nationwide strike called by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya — and even recorded a video message about it. One of the state propaganda newspapers mockingly quoted his words from the video.

Natalia became famous back in 2017, when the independent press reported on her problem. A woman with a third-degree disability, who could not get a job due to medical restrictions, was about to be evicted from her home for debts. Previously, Natalia worked in a construction company, but after she was diagnosed with epilepsy, doctors wrote a list of work restrictions. After a public outcry, the authorities withdrew the lawsuit, and Natalia was able to pay off her debts with the help of Nobel laureate, writer Svetlana Alexievich. After that, she constantly helped the Gomel resident, and many other caring people joined in the help.

In September, Natalia was caught by the security forces - she was detained for "extremist" subscriptions. The same judge who would try the woman on criminal charges punished her with a fine for an administrative offense. The Gomel resident was forced to star in a "repentant" video, in which she did not repent, and when asked how she felt about the authorities, she directly answered: "Badly." After that, she was released on bail.

She also talked about all this on social networks, and in her last post she wrote that they came to take her into custody - as part of a criminal case. Natalia also posted a photo with cut veins on her hand.

Finally, she was placed right before the trial.

Former employee of the Vetka Museum of Old Believers and Belarusian Traditions named after Shklyarov, tour guide.

Alexander was called "the legend of the Vetka Museum", "a favorite tour guide". He was interested in local history since his youth, loved to go on expeditions and collect antiques. He even bought some with his own money. Alexander has not worked at the museum recently. He was drafted into the army at the end of 2022, and after his service he did not return to the museum. According to Flagstock, shortly before his arrest, Alexander managed to work on state television. Before that, he repeatedly gave comments to the state press.

On May 3, 2024, Alexander was brought to administrative responsibility under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (distribution, production, storage, transportation of information products containing calls for extremist activity or promoting such activity).

On September 11, 2023, the State Security Committee reported in a propaganda film that it had detained six people in Belarus on charges of collaborating with the "Security Service of Ukraine" and "preparing terrorist attacks." In the video, some of them appear beaten, some are led around in chains during investigative actions, and one of the detainees was filmed in a KGB pretrial detention center. As a result, three people, including Valentina, were charged under six articles of the Criminal Code at once, including "Treason" and "agent activity."

Valentina, according to pro-government media, together with Nikolai Losovsky, was picking up a package containing weapons and explosives, which had to be buried in the Mozyr district. They did not manage to complete the task, as they were detained.

On September 11, 2023, the State Security Committee reported in a propaganda film that it had detained six people in Belarus on charges of collaborating with the "Security Service of Ukraine" and "preparing terrorist attacks." In the video, some of them appear beaten, some are led around in chains during investigative actions, and one of the detainees was filmed in a KGB pretrial detention center. As a result, three people, including Nikolai, were charged under six articles of the Criminal Code at once, including "Treason" and "agent activity."

Nikolai, according to pro-government media, checked caches on orders from Ukrainian special services and also carried out other tasks for money.

Citizen of Ukraine.

Details of the persecution of the Ukrainian gamekeeper became known from a propaganda film on September 11, 2023, which was shown on all state channels at once. In it, Vyacheslav was led on a chain during the investigation. The State Security Committee reported that it had detained six people in Belarus on charges of collaborating with the "Security Service of Ukraine" and "preparing terrorist attacks." In the video, some of them look beaten, some are led on chains during the investigation, and one of the detainees was filmed in the KGB pre-trial detention center. As a result, three people were charged under six articles of the Criminal Code at once, including "Treason" and "agent activity."

Ukrainian ranger Vyacheslav Borodiy was detained on September 1, 2023, in the Yelsky district of Belarus, bordering the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. It is known that Vyacheslav was born in the Zhytomyr region, lived in Mozyr for some time, and then returned to Ukraine and worked as a ranger, raising three children. The film said that after the start of a full-scale war, Borodiy allegedly underwent training at the training center of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and that "since March 2023, in addition to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, he began to cooperate with the Security Service of Ukraine."

On February 15, 2024, a "counter-terrorist operation" regime was introduced in the Lelchitsy district of the Gomel region on the border with Ukraine. The population was asked to "remain calm and obey the demands of law enforcement officers." The KGB claims that they detained members of a "sabotage and reconnaissance group" that included citizens of Ukraine and Belarus. The exact number of people detained is not reported.