All persecuted

Maria, a volunteer with the Gomel branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center, was detained late in the evening of January 18, 2021, and placed in a temporary detention facility as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." Her home was also searched. Maria had previously actively advocated for the repeal of the so-called "parasite" decree and sued district officials in the Gomel region who had banned protests against the decree.

She was released three days later on her own recognizance. Maria's trial began on September 3, 2021, and on October 13, prosecutors requested a prison sentence of two and a half years. Maria was subsequently forced to leave Belarus, and her case was separated into separate proceedings.

Yulia was detained and convicted for installing a scarecrow, which, according to investigators, resembled Lukashenko, in the regional center on Varshavskoe Shosse.

In November 2024, a court hearing was held regarding Yulia to replace the restriction of freedom with imprisonment in a penal colony.

Olga, an activist of the Country for Life project and a member of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya’s initiative group, took part in protests after the presidential elections and was repeatedly detained.

On November 15, 2020, she was detained in the courtyard of the "Square of Changes", where peaceful protesters gathered for a rally in memory of Roman Bondarenko, killed by security forces, under the slogan "I'm coming out". After that, a criminal case was opened against Olga.

In February 2021, she was convicted of “participating in group actions that grossly violate public order.” She left Belarus some time later.

In October 2024, a court hearing was held in absentia to replace the restriction of freedom with imprisonment in a penal colony.

Mikhail was convicted of slander and sentenced to restricted freedom and sent to an open-type institution.

In November 2021, it was announced that a new criminal case had been opened against Mikhail for "inciting hatred or discord." The exact grounds for the case are unknown.

On November 26, 2021, Mikhail managed to leave Belarus.

Denis was arrested in September 2021 as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." In November of that year, he was convicted for participating in a post-election protest that took place on August 9, 2020, in Minsk.

Left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.

Nikita was detained in September 2021 as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." In January 2022, he was convicted for participating in a post-election protest that took place on August 9, 2020, in Minsk.

Left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.

In January 2025, a court hearing in absentia was held as part of a special proceeding on the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom with a referral to imprisonment in a penal colony.

Kirill was arrested in September 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," and was convicted in January 2022 for participating in post-election protests that took place in Minsk in 2020.

Left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.

Andrei was arrested in September 2021 in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them." In November of that year, he was convicted of participating in a post-election protest that took place in September 2020 in Grodno.

Before starting to serve his sentence, Andrei left Belarus.

In February 2025, a court hearing in absentia was held as part of a special proceeding on the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom with a referral to imprisonment in a penal colony.

Svetlana was first convicted in October 2021 of "insulting a government official" for a comment left under a photograph of nine riot police officers posted on the "Punishermen of Belarus" Telegram channel. She was sentenced to restricted freedom without a referral and ordered to pay substantial compensation.

In December 2021, she was detained along with her daughter in a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." In March 2022, she was convicted again and sentenced to restricted freedom without referral.

In October 2024, a court hearing in absentia was held as part of a special proceeding on the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom without sending him to an open correctional facility.

Sergei was convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order" in a criminal case opened after a protest that took place in Brest on September 13, 2020. During the protest, participants sang songs and danced in circles, and a water cannon was used against them.

Left Belarus.

In December 2024, a court hearing in absentia was held against Sergei as part of a special proceeding to replace the restriction of freedom with imprisonment in a penal colony.

Anna was convicted of "participating in group actions that grossly violate public order" in a criminal case opened after a protest that took place in Brest on September 13, 2020. During the protest, participants sang songs and danced in circles, and a water cannon was used against them.

Left Belarus.

In December 2024, as part of a special proceeding against Anna, a court hearing was held in absentia to replace the restriction of freedom with imprisonment in a penal colony.

Nikita was accused of blocking public transportation in Minsk on August 10, 2020, and convicted under the article "Organizing or actively participating in group actions that grossly violate public order." He was sentenced to restricted freedom with a referral.

In October 2024, a court hearing was held in absentia as part of a special proceeding to replace the restriction of freedom with a referral to imprisonment in a penal colony.

Evgeny, the author of the Advek project, was arrested in September 2021 on charges of group actions grossly disturbing public order. The arrest was motivated by a photograph taken on August 9, 2020, showing him at a crosswalk when the traffic light was green during a post-election protest in Minsk.

In November 2021, he was found guilty and sentenced to restricted freedom with direction.

He left Belarus before starting to serve his sentence.

In December 2024, a court hearing in absentia was held as part of a special proceeding on the issue of replacing a restriction of freedom with a referral to an open-type correctional facility with imprisonment in a penal colony.

Vadim was detained on July 27, 2021, near his home in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "insulting a government official."

It is also known that Vadim wrote a book about the protests.

In October 2021, he was found guilty of two criminal charges for a series of comments left in the "KYKY Backstage" Telegram channel chat between April and June 2021 and sentenced to restricted freedom in an open-type facility.

Vadim left Belarus before he began serving his sentence.

Dmitry, the director of an online musical instrument store and a musician with the Khoroshki ensemble, was recently dismissed from the group due to his civic stance. He refused to participate in concerts held by the Ministry of Culture at the Kupala Theater, as well as other official events.

In August 2021, Dmitry was arrested on charges of running an "underground printing house" that produced unregistered newspapers and leaflets. After a search of his apartment, all the money, including the proceeds from the recent sale of his car, disappeared. Since his arrest, he has been repeatedly subjected to administrative charges, receiving administrative arrests and being held in the Okrestina temporary detention center. Dmitry subsequently left Belarus.