All persecuted

Before his arrest, Andrey worked at EPAM and was previously a law enforcement officer.

He was detained in October 2021 in connection with a criminal case opened under the articles "inciting hatred or discord" and "illegal collection and dissemination of information about private life" and placed in pretrial detention.

In August 2022, Andrei was convicted of transmitting security forces' data to the Telegram channels "Punishermen of Belarus" and "Black Book of Belarus" and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

Vitaly was arrested in November 2021 on charges of "participation in mass riots" and placed in pretrial detention.

In March 2022, he was found guilty of participating in a post-election protest that took place in August 2020 near the Riga shopping center in Minsk. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he allegedly "along with other aggressive participants, committed vandalism and property destruction: breaking up paving slabs, erecting barricades, and blocking traffic."

Sergei was detained in August 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article “act of terrorism”.

According to the indictment, from July 2020 to January 2022, "an organized criminal group operated in Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and other countries with the goal of committing extremist crimes. The group included radical individuals, including former and current military personnel, law enforcement officers, athletes and businessmen, who sought to seize power illegally." The case involves charges of attempted arson of the home of MP Oleg Gaidukevich in June 2021 and "organizing mass riots."

Sergei was convicted under several criminal articles to a long term of imprisonment and a fine, and he was also stripped of his military rank.

Alexey, a former military man, communications specialist and director of a company that installs and repairs electric garage doors and barriers, was arrested in September 2021 in a criminal case related to the "Busly Lyatsyats" initiative. Some of the charges involved damaging the car of a Borisov district judge. As a result, he was sentenced to a long prison term and a fine.

Alexey has three children, one of whom is a minor.

Yana was detained in St. Petersburg on November 1, 2021, as part of a criminal case opened under several criminal articles, including "inciting other forms of social hatred and discord," "public calls for the seizure of state power," and "creating or participating in an extremist group."

In May 2022, a Russian court denied Yana temporary asylum.

On August 9, 2022, she was extradited from Russia to Belarus, despite a ban on extradition by the UN Human Rights Committee.

In June 2023, Yana was found guilty of administering the Telegram channel "Vitebsk 97%," in which, according to investigators, she posted messages with "negative assessments of law enforcement officers and government agencies," and allegedly published "calls to harm police officers" and "extremist materials."

Dmitry, a Beltelecom employee, was detained at his workplace on October 28, 2021, as part of a criminal case opened under the articles "illegal seizure of computer information," "inciting social hatred and discord," and "illegal actions in relation to private information and personal data."

In December 2022, he was found guilty of allegedly "extracting personal data of security officials, civil servants, and judges from a database" and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

At first he was in Okrestina. Then he was arrested under the Criminal Code. Relatives note that Denis is a good, honest, fair and sympathetic guy. On pro-government channels, Denis is called the "chief visual editor" of the Supraci movement videos. In the video, Salmanovich says that he was detained by police officers because he "was a member of destructive Telegram channels", "collaborated with "Busly Lyatsyats"" and participated in protests in 2020.

The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence from 10 to 9.5 years' imprisonment.

Denis has a serious illness - chronic glomerulonephritis after hemorrhagic vasculitis. In the summer of 2024, an ambulance took the man from the colony. Salmanovich underwent surgery - his gallbladder was removed. After the operation, the man spent another week in the colony's medical unit until his stitches were removed.

The mother of the political prisoner says that the last time Denis contacted her was in mid-November 2024. After the call, the man was immediately taken to a punishment cell, where he remains to this day (January 2024).

In April 2025, his punishment was increased and he was transferred to prison.

Alexey, the director of a construction company, was arrested in October 2021 in connection with a criminal case related to the "Busly Lyatsyats" initiative. Some of the charges involved damaging the car of a Borisovsky District judge. As a result, he was sentenced to a lengthy prison term and a fine.

In June 2023, his sentence was increased and he was transferred to a prison regime.

During his imprisonment, Alexei's father died.

Vitaly was found guilty in September 2021 of influencing a law enforcement officer to change the nature of his activities by threatening to destroy property for a comment he left in the "Borovki 97%" Telegram chat under a photo of Sergeant Major Sergei Balabanovich, and was sentenced to arrest.

In January 2024, pro-government Telegram channels reported Vitaly's re-arrest . In a "confessional video," he stood in front of the camera, handcuffed, and said that he "called for violence against riot police officers only out of emotion."

From August to October 2024, Vitaly faced several court hearings in a criminal case opened under charges of "defamation of Lukashenko," "participation in actions grossly violating public order," "organizing mass riots," "calls for sanctions," and "inciting hatred or enmity." The outcome is unknown.

Anastasia was detained in August 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article “act of terrorism”, and in June 2023 she was convicted under several criminal articles.

According to the indictment, from July 2020 to January 2022, an "organized criminal group" allegedly preparing extremist crimes operated in Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and other countries. It included radical military personnel, security officials, athletes and businessmen who sought to seize power illegally. This case is related to the attempted arson of the house of MP Oleg Gaidukevich in June 2021 and the "organization of mass riots."

Vladislav was detained in August 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article “act of terrorism”.

According to the indictment, from July 2020 to January 2022, an "organized criminal group" allegedly preparing extremist crimes operated in Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and other countries. It included radical military personnel, security officials, athletes and businessmen who sought to seize power illegally. This case is related to the attempted arson of the house of MP Oleg Gaidukevich in June 2021 and the "organization of mass riots."

Vladislav was sentenced under numerous criminal articles to a long term of imprisonment, the first five years of which were in prison. He was also stripped of his military rank.

Vitaly was detained in August 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article "act of terrorism", and in June 2023 he was sentenced under numerous criminal articles to a long term of imprisonment, the first five years of which were in prison.

According to the indictment, from July 2020 to January 2022, an "organized criminal group" allegedly preparing extremist crimes operated in Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and other countries. It included radical military personnel, security officials, athletes and businessmen who sought to seize power illegally. This case is related to the attempted arson of the house of MP Oleg Gaidukevich in June 2021 and the "organization of mass riots."

Olga was detained in August 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article "act of terrorism" and convicted in June 2023 under several criminal articles.

According to the indictment, from July 2020 to January 2022, an "organized criminal group" allegedly preparing extremist crimes operated in Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and other countries. It included radical military personnel, security officials, athletes and businessmen who sought to seize power illegally. This case is related to the attempted arson of the house of MP Oleg Gaidukevich in June 2021 and the "organization of mass riots."

Natalia was arrested in June 2021 on suspicion of planning to set fire to logging equipment. The arrest took place in the evening right on the forestry farm grounds, where she allegedly arrived with her accomplice, Gordeyev, who was actually on assignment from state security agencies.

According to the prosecution, on the evening of June 8, 2021, Natalia and this man prepared Molotov cocktails, which they planned to use to set fire to the equipment. However, the crime was not completed—Natalia was detained before the arson could be committed.

In court, Natalia testified that she had found herself in a difficult situation: in August 2020, an acquaintance of hers was arrested, she had lost her father, and was experiencing difficulties at work. She also confirmed that she had indeed been a member of the "OGSB" chat group and had intended to destroy logging equipment at the forestry enterprise.

In December 2022, she was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a general regime penal colony with a large fine.

Andrey, a construction worker and decorator, was arrested in July 2021 in a criminal case related to the "Busly Lyatsyats" initiative. Some of the charges involved damaging the car of a Borisov district judge. As a result, he was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment and a fine.

In September 2024, Andrei was convicted again under the article on “malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional institution.” This article is often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration and provides for punishment for imaginary violations. As a result, his total sentence was increased to 17 years.

Andrei has three children and a wife who has serious health problems.