All persecuted

Daniil Polyansky is a Brest journalist. In early September, Polyansky went to Russia to visit relatives. On the way, there was an incident with Russian security forces. His car was stopped by FSB officers and he was accused of an administrative violation for disobedience - allegedly he refused to show documents.

"Danil said that at that time his passport was in the hands of a Russian security officer," says one of Polyansky's acquaintances. "Later, when he returned to Brest, he was detained by KGB officers."

Initially it was assumed that he was detained for some administrative violation. But it became known that a criminal case had been opened.

Danil Polyansky is 53 years old. As a videographer, he once collaborated with state and commercial TV channels, as well as with independent regional sites. In recent years, he was known in Brest as a volunteer for the search and rescue squad "Angel".

Nakanishi Masatoshi is a citizen of Japan. On September 4, 2024, it became known that he was detained in Belarus. He was detained back in July 2024, but the details of his persecution were only revealed now in a BT story. Nakanishi is being held in a KGB pretrial detention center on charges of "intelligence activities" (Article 358-1 of the Criminal Code). The Japanese citizen faces up to seven years in prison in Belarus.

Immediately after the story aired on BT, Tokyo lodged a protest with the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that the content of the program violated human rights.

Participant of national, international and personal exhibitions. Member of the Union of Artists of the Republic of Belarus. The artist's works are in the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, the Webkunsthaus Gallery of Germany, private collections in the USA, Italy, France, Russia, Holland, Ireland, Poland, Japan, Greece, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Australia, Germany.
Rimashevsky and his wife Lyudmila Shchemeleva were detained around the beginning of October 2024 and two weeks later they were still not released.

In 1987 he graduated from the Academy of Arts in Minsk. Since 1982 he has been a participant of national and international exhibitions. His paintings are in the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, the Art Fund of the Republic of Belarus, the Webkunsthaus Gallery in Germany, the Schaer und Wildbolc Gallery in Switzerland, as well as in private collections in England, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Holland, France, Spain, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Japan, Ukraine, the USA, China, the Czech Republic, Syria, and Lebanon.

Rimashevsky and his wife Lyudmila Shchemeleva were detained around the beginning of October 2024 and two weeks later they were still not released.

According to the court, the essence of the charge against everyone was that on August 10, 2020, people in Brest "shouted slogans, demonstrated white-red-white banners, deliberately obstructed the movement of vehicles and the normal functioning of enterprises." In doing so, they allegedly grossly violated public order.

In addition to her previous conviction under Article 328, she received 11 years in prison and a fine.

According to the court, the essence of the charge was that on August 10, 2020, people in Brest "shouted slogans, demonstrated white-red-white banners, deliberately obstructed the movement of vehicles and the normal functioning of enterprises." In doing so, they allegedly grossly violated public order. The man said in the video about his arrest that he was a professional chess player, one of the top 30 chess players in Belarus.

According to the court, the essence of the charge was that on August 10, 2020, people in Brest "shouted slogans, demonstrated white-red-white banners, deliberately obstructed the movement of vehicles and the normal functioning of enterprises." In doing so, they allegedly grossly violated public order.

According to the court, the essence of the charge was that on August 10, 2020, people in Brest "shouted slogans, demonstrated white-red-white banners, deliberately obstructed the movement of vehicles and the normal functioning of enterprises." In doing so, they allegedly grossly violated public order.

Dmitry Bulanov is 32 years old. He is from Brest and has been playing chess all his life. He currently ranks 28th among all Belarusian players and has the title of FIDE Master.

In 2020, Dmitry and his colleagues created the Free Chess Players of Belarus group and began performing under the white-red-white flag. Together with the team, which includes some of the strongest Belarusian chess players, they won the Chess Bundesliga twice.

In July 2023, Dmitry was detained by the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption. He is accused of participating in protests, registering in the Peramoga plan, and sending extremist materials (but security forces often force people to incriminate themselves on camera). The man was released after three days in the temporary detention facility on his own recognizance.

A sole proprietor. According to the prosecution, he allegedly left negative comments about Russia after the terrorist attack at Crocus Hall and called for bombing Russian cities.

Andrey was detained in March. Pro-government channels published a "repentant" video of him.

It is known that Vladislav is 49 years old, his wife Tatyana is 44. The family lives in Baranovichi. They have two children, the youngest son is still a minor.

As reported by the BELPOL organization, according to data for 2005, Tatyana worked at the "558th aircraft repair plant" as a technician. Vladislav is a military man. According to data for 2019, he worked at the "61st fighter airbase in Baranovichi" (military unit 54804).

It is not known exactly what the Koshcheyevs are accused of. They are likely being held in custody, as their last social media activity was in 2023.

Tatyana, 44, was detained together with her husband. The family lives in Baranovichi. They have two children, the youngest son is still a minor.

According to data for 2005, Tatyana worked at the "558th Aircraft Repair Plant" as a technician. Vladislav is a military man. According to data for 2019, he worked at the "61st Fighter Air Base in Baranovichi" (military unit 54804).

It is not known exactly what the Koshcheyevs are accused of. They are likely being held in custody, as their last social media activity was in 2023.

The trial itself was held in a show trial, outside the court building, in front of students from the Polytechnic and Agricultural Colleges. Konopatsky and Molchan were taken into custody in public view after the verdict was announced.

The essence of the claims against Molchan and Konopatsky was that in the summer of 2021, in the village of Dyatlovichi (Luninetsky district of the Brest region), the state flag was removed from a store. According to the prosecution, the young people then burned the flag in the forest. Thus, according to the prosecution and the judge, the crime of "desecration of a state symbol" occurred.

The trial itself was held in a show trial, outside the court building, in front of students from the Polytechnic and Agricultural Colleges. Konopatsky and Molchan were taken into custody in public view after the verdict was announced.

The essence of the claims against Molchan and Konopatsky was that in the summer of 2021, in the village of Dyatlovichi (Luninetsky district of the Brest region), the state flag was removed from a store. According to the prosecution, the young people then burned the flag in the forest. Thus, according to the prosecution and the judge, the crime of "desecration of a state symbol" occurred.