All persecuted

Dmitry was arrested in July 2021 in connection with a criminal case involving an attempted assassination of propagandist Grigory Azarenok under the article "Act of Terrorism." According to the prosecution, he committed "deliberate actions aimed at preparing an act of terrorism against Azarenok." Various options were considered, including forcibly coercing him into recording a video message.

Dmitry was the only defendant in the case who did not plead guilty. At his trial, he stated that he was drawn into the crime during an investigative experiment. He claimed that after his arrest, he was subjected to violence and torture, forced to sign a confession. During interrogation, he sustained serious injuries to his hands, which now prevents him from working full-time. At the first hearing, he also announced his desire to renounce his Belarusian citizenship, as he "has no connection to terrorism."

In December 2022, Dmitry was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony, as well as a large fine.

Alexey was detained on July 1, 2021, in Minsk by officers from the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption (GUBOPiK). The following day, the court sentenced him to 15 days of administrative arrest, but instead of release, he was transferred to a pretrial detention center. He became a defendant in a criminal case for group actions grossly violating public order.

The case was heard under four articles of the Criminal Code: "organizing mass riots," "creating an extremist group," "inciting social hatred," and "insulting a government official." The trial was held behind closed doors, and the details of the charges are unknown.

In April 2022, the court sentenced Alexey to 11 years in prison. After the trial, pro-government channels published a video claiming that Alexey was the administrator of the Telegram chat "Cascade." A video about him had previously been filmed on TUT.BY.

In July 2023, it became known that he was in pre-trial detention, and on August 11, 2023, he was again found guilty in a new case of “creating an extremist group,” adding another 6 months to his sentence.

Vadim served administrative arrests in August and October 2020. His latest arrest occurred on June 28, 2021, as part of a criminal case related to an incident at a Russian Navy communications facility near Vileika.

According to the prosecution's case presented in court, Vadim and Alexey Glotov, "dressed in camouflage and armed with firearms, entered the military facility and planted explosive devices with a blast radius of up to 11 meters." One of them failed to detonate and was defused. An expert examination revealed that the devices were initiated using a delayed-action mechanism.

The damage was estimated at over 26,000 rubles. It was also reported that Vadim "planned to travel to Ukraine for military training."

In December 2022, he was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a maximum security penal colony and a large fine.

In 2025, a court hearing was held to discuss the issue of changing the prison regime, as a result of which Vadim was transferred to a prison regime.

Tatyana is a co-founder of the Sympa school for young public administration managers, an expert in the Bipart research project, and a Master of Political Science.

She was detained in Minsk on the night of June 28-29, 2021, at the airport while going through passport control to leave the country. It is known that Tatyana was going to fly on a night flight to Tbilisi. It later became known that she was detained in connection with an initiated criminal case. Tatyana was taken to the temporary detention facility on Okrestina, and a few days later transferred to a pretrial detention center.

On February 6, 2023, the court began considering her case on charges of "aiding actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions that harm national security," and "inciting social hatred." On March 17 of the same year, the court sentenced Tatyana in a closed session to 10 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

Yegor was arrested in February 2021 and later convicted of setting fire to a T-72 tank aboard a military train at the Stepyanka railway station. According to the case file, on the night of January 31, 2021, he threw a Molotov cocktail with the inscription "OGSB" at the tank. His actions were classified as an "act of terrorism." According to the prosecution, Yegor committed the arson based on his political views.

In early October 2023, it was announced that Yegor had been transferred to Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 in connection with a new criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation therein." In this case, he was sentenced to an additional six months in prison.

Valeria is a political scientist, founder and editor of the website of the expert community "Our Opinion", author and editor of the "Belarusian Yearbook", head of the group of experts for monitoring "Belarus in Focus".

On June 30, 2021, after a search of her home by KGB officers, Valeria was detained and placed in an isolation ward, later transferred to a pre-trial detention center.

On February 6, 2023, the court began considering her case on charges of "aiding actions aimed at seizing power," "calling for actions that harm national security," and "inciting social hatred." On March 17, 2023, the court sentenced Valeria in a closed session to 10 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

Sergei, the former head of the department of the RUE "Minsk City Agency for State Registration and Land Cadastre", was arrested in June 2021 in a case of posting personal data of employees of the Smorgon District Department of Internal Affairs on a Telegram channel. According to the prosecution, from autumn 2020 to February 2021, he transferred personal data of more than ten employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and government officials to the administrators of Telegram channels.

In August 2022, Sergei was found guilty of several criminal charges, including “abuse of power or official authority,” and sentenced to imprisonment with deprivation of the right to hold positions related to the performance of organizational and administrative duties for a period of 5 years.

Lyudmila is the former CEO of TUT.BY. She worked at TUT.BY since 2008: first as a legal adviser, later as a director. In 2017, she headed Tut By Media.

In May 2021, she was arrested in connection with a criminal case opened on charges of tax evasion.

In October 2022, the KGB added Lyudmila to a list of those “involved in terrorist activities.” She was later also charged with “inciting hatred” and “calling for actions against national security.”

The trial was held behind closed doors and lasted more than two months - 37 sessions in total. In March 2023, Lyudmila was sentenced to a long prison term and a large fine.

Andrey, a maxillofacial surgeon at a children's hospital, was detained in May 2021 after a search as part of a criminal case opened under the article on "insulting the president." His wife and children were forced to leave the country. Andrey was later charged with "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order" and "participation in mass riots."

In April 2022, Andrei was convicted on four criminal charges for participating in protests that took place in Minsk in 2020 and for publications on social networks that were classified as insults and incitement of hatred.

In June 2024, his sentence was increased and he was transferred to prison until the end of his term.

Yevgeny, a former investigator for the Investigative Committee and the initiator of the bychange.me project, was first detained on the evening of November 24, 2020, in Minsk as part of a criminal case initiated under the article “organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them.” He was released 10 days later, but in April 2021, he was arrested again and later convicted under six criminal articles, including for “organizing mass riots” in 2020, “inciting other social hatred” in interviews and texts on social networks, as well as for “threatening violence” against the head of the temporary detention facility on Okrestina via tweet.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, Evgeny was "an active participant in the Telegram chat "KHATA", whose activities are aimed at organizing crimes of an extremist nature." The trial was held behind closed doors, and Evgeny signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding the case materials.

Andrei is a Grodno journalist, publicist and member of the Union of Poles in Belarus. In 2011, he was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment with a 2-year suspended sentence on charges of slandering Lukashenko. He was released in the courtroom on his own recognizance not to leave. In 2012, a new criminal case was opened against him for publications in the media, but in 2013 it was closed due to lack of evidence. In the autumn of the same year, he was released from serving his sentence in the first case.

On March 25, 2021, Andrei was detained again. He was accused of inciting hatred and calling for sanctions. The charges included articles about the 2020 Belarusian protests, the protection of the Polish minority, and publications about the USSR's attack on Poland in 1939. He spent more than 1.5 years in pretrial detention and was convicted in February 2023.

It is known that Andrey refused to write a petition for pardon. At present, he continues to be subjected to pressure, is deprived of visits and parcels. There are also no calls from him.

Ruslan was arrested in January 2021 and convicted of making and distributing "hedgehogs" in front of a convoy of cars participating in a pro-government rally in the fall of 2020. He was also accused of attempting to damage railway tracks by connecting the rails with metal wire, which could have delayed the movement of trains.

Ruslan is into extreme sports and arboristry. He loves heights and gets a thrill from sitting on a roof or hugging treetops. In prison, he discovered his talent for drawing. In his personal life, he works with wood, grows potatoes, keeps pigs and loves horses.

Ruslan has a benign brain tumor, as well as severe back pain , due to which he sometimes could not get out of bed.

Alexey was arrested and convicted of weapons possession and allegedly preparing for mass riots with their use. In an interview, he stated that he only admitted guilt in weapons possession and did not understand why the trial was held behind closed doors. Alexey called the charge of preparing riots a "witch hunt."

At the end of December 2021, it became known that Alexei's punishment had been toughened and he had been transferred to prison.

In the winter of 2024, a political prisoner was tried in a new criminal case for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional facility." Under this article, prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration are tried for fictitious violations.

Viktor was arrested on January 4, 2020, as part of the criminal "Autukhovich case" and accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" involved in arson attacks on police property. He was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization," "attempted seizure of power," "illegal actions in relation to firearms," and "illegal movement of firearms across the customs border."

In 2024, Viktor was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration." From February 2025, he was kept in a cell-type facility (PKT), and in May of the same year, it became known about a new sentence under the same article, which is often applied to prisoners for refusing to cooperate with the administration. As a result, the total term of imprisonment was 22 years and 6 months.

On July 3, 2025, Victor's appeal was considered .

A well-known public figure, previously a member of the United Civil Party, was detained on January 4, 2021, as part of the "Autukhovich case" and accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" linked to arson of police property. Olga was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization," "attempted seizure of power," "inciting hatred," "calls for sanctions," and "illegal actions with weapons."

In custody, the political prisoner was suspected of having diabetes. In March 2024, she was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration."