All persecuted

For comments in the Telegram channel. The victims were the chairman of the Volkovysk district executive committee, Mikhail Sitko (the only one who did not file a claim for compensation for moral damage), OMON policemen of the Grodno Internal Affairs Directorate Daria Bondarchuk and Maria Mazurkevich, head of the police department of the Volkovysk district police department Valery Romanchik, head of the Volkovysk district police department Vitaly Osotsky. In total, the victims estimated their moral suffering at 5,000 rubles - while the accused has a pension of 500 rubles. The woman in the last word said that imprisonment would be a "death sentence" for her, but judge Andrei Tolochko sentenced her to 2.5 years in prison.

She was released on September 20, 2022 by pardon.

According to the prosecution's version, Vitaliy Zhilinsky repeatedly in August-September 2020, as part of a group of people, moved along the carriageways of Nezavisimost Avenue, Pobediteley, Pushkin, Maxim Bogdanovich and Yakub Kolos Streets in Minsk, publicly shouting slogans. As a result of illegal actions, transport links in the capital were blocked, which led to a malfunction of public transport.

In addition, the political prisoner was charged with posting on January 6 and 9, 2022, in one of the Telegram chats, publications available to an unlimited number of persons aimed at inciting social hostility and discord against military personnel who carried out peacekeeping activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Independent journalist, works for Radio Svaboda.

He was detained on November 25, sentenced to 10 days, but was not released on December 5 and was again given 10 days. But Andrei was not released on December 15 either, receiving another 10 days of arrest. A criminal case was opened against him.

On February 12, 2025, with the help of the US State Department, Elena Movshuk, journalist Andrei Kuznechik and a US citizen whose name has not yet been disclosed were released. They were pardoned by Lukashenko.

Details of the release were revealed to CNN by Chris Smith, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe.

"It was a special operation: we crossed the Belarusian border, met with authorities in Minsk, who handed over three detainees to us. We picked them up and took them through Lithuania." According to Smith, it was a "unilateral gesture" by the Belarusian authorities, seeking to improve relations with the United States.

"Lukashenko received nothing in return," he noted.

A resident of Vitebsk, he recently worked in the Russian Federation.

Convicted for a comment on the social network Odnoklassniki, which was left on July 2, 2020 under a post about witness testimony in court against the innocent addressed to a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He wrote under the photo: "It's written on his forehead: complete scum."

He was brought to justice in March 2021 for symbols in an administrative case.

Detained on September 20 in a criminal case on the creation of an extremist formation (telegram chat). After the temporary detention facility, she was immediately transferred to a pre-trial detention center.

She was detained on September 20 in a criminal case for a performance at the city cemetery, when a group of young people placed a portrait of Lukashenka on the grave and opened champagne. After the temporary detention facility, she was immediately transferred to a pre-trial detention center.

Andrei was arrested in August 2021 in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "participation in mass riots" and convicted in November of that year for participating in post-election protests that took place in Minsk in 2020.

He was released in November 2024 as part of a pardon.

Alexander was first arrested in March 2021 and convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order" in a criminal case opened after a protest on September 13, 2020, in Brest. At that time, the participants were singing and dancing in a circle, and a water cannon was used against them. He served his full sentence and was released in July 2022.

However, in December 2023, it became known about his new arrest in connection with a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest against falsifications in the presidential elections. In April 2024, he was sentenced to imprisonment for participating in the protest.

He was released in September 2024 as part of a pardon.

Natalia was convicted in August 2021 in a criminal case opened on charges of insulting Lukashenko and destroying official documents. According to the prosecution, police officers arrived at Natalia's home on May 27, 2021. There, according to investigators, she "publicly insulted" Lukashenko with the words "we have a f*cking state" and "a f*cking president," thereby committing a crime, according to the prosecution. An hour later, investigators conducted a search of her apartment. During the search, the prosecution alleges, Natalia, "wanting to express her superiority and permissiveness," tore up the police report, thereby "damaging an official document."

She was released in March 2022 as part of a pardon.

Andrei was convicted of an administrative offense in October 2020 for participating in a post-election protest. In May 2021, he was arrested in connection with a criminal case opened on four counts, including insulting a government official and Lukashenko. In September of that year, Andrei was sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay substantial compensation.

He was released in September 2024 as part of a pardon.

Artem, an anarchist activist, was arrested on August 4, 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."

In January 2022, Artem and other defendants were charged with additional membership in an extremist group for subscribing to the Telegram channel "Pramen." At the time of his arrest, the channel had not yet been added to the list of extremist groups; this only happened in November 2021.

In April 2022, Artem was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

He was released in July 2024 as part of a pardon.

Alla was convicted for a social media comment under a photo of the deputy head of the Kobrin District Police Department. According to the prosecution, the comment, published on August 25, 2020, contained obscene language and a negative assessment of the government official.

In March 2022, Alla was pardoned.

Maxim was convicted in 2021 of "insulting a government official" and sentenced to restricted freedom and placement in an open-type facility.

In July 2022, he was released under pardon.

In February 2024, a court hearing was held on three charges: "desecration of buildings and damage to property" and "illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances." The details of the case and the outcome of the trial are unknown.

Oleg is a journalist for Radio Svaboda, previously worked for the Znamya Yunosti newspaper, and was one of the founders of the RID news agency. In the summer of 2020, he actively covered the protests in Belarus and conducted live streams. In August, he lost his Foreign Ministry accreditation along with other journalists from foreign media outlets.

On July 16, 2021, he was detained during a large-scale search of independent journalists' homes. He was released ten days later, remaining a suspect. On December 23 of that year, security forces again raided his home and took him into custody on charges of "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order or actively participating in them."

In March 2022, the court found Oleg guilty, declaring that he participated in unauthorized protests during which Minsktrans calculated damages of 56,000 rubles.

In September 2022, the journalist was released as part of a pardon.

Denis was detained in March 2021 and convicted for comments left in the Telegram chat "Molodechno for Life Chat". The victims were recognized as Molodechno police officers, a female employee of the Grodno OMON, as well as public figures - Lukashenko, Yermoshina and Karpenkov.

In August 2024, he was released under a pardon.