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Dmitry was convicted in September 2021 of "insulting a government official" for his reaction to police officers beating him. The incident occurred in November 2020, when police officers came to search his brother's home, and he filmed the incident.
The police officers who beat Dmitry felt insulted and filed a lawsuit claiming insult and demanding compensation for emotional distress. The court sentenced him to restricted freedom without committal to an open facility.
In March 2022, another court hearing was held under the same article, under which Dmitry was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony and a large fine to the state.
In 2023, he was released, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
After his release, pressure continued to be exerted on Dmitry: they threatened to open another criminal case, and also threatened his family.
Eduard was convicted in the fall of 2021 for a comment he left on Olga Karach's Odnoklassniki page about traffic police officer Igor Volnich. He was sentenced to restricted freedom without being sent to a prison facility and ordered to pay monetary compensation for "moral damages."
Alexander was convicted for a comment he left on the social media site Odnoklassniki addressed to a police officer from Babruisk. From the very beginning of the trial, the prosecutor requested that the trial be held behind closed doors to avoid disclosing information that could harm the "victim," the police officer, even though he himself never appeared in court. A witness also failed to appear.
Alexander was sentenced to restricted freedom with a referral, and after the verdict was announced, he was escorted out of the courtroom through a back exit to prevent anyone from learning the circumstances of the case. The facility where he served his sentence is unknown.
According to human rights activists, Alexander was released in 2023, having fully served his court-appointed sentence.
In January 2024, a court hearing was held against Alexander under an administrative charge for “dissemination of extremist materials.”
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Eduard, a visually impaired nurse, previously competed for the Belarusian Paralympic team. In September 2021, he was found guilty of "insulting a government official" for a comment he left on the social media site Odnoklassniki about traffic police inspector Andrei Bagrayenok. A linguistic expert found the comment humiliating. Eduard was under house arrest until his trial, after which he was sentenced to restricted freedom without being sent to an open facility.
Alina was found guilty in September 2021 for the comment "Death" left on the social media site Odnoklassniki, addressed to Savich, a warrant officer in the Minsk City Executive Committee's riot police company. According to the prosecution, the comment humiliated the recipient and was deemed offensive.
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Yevgeny, a Russian citizen and rapper, was convicted in the fall of 2021 for a self-composed song that, according to the prosecution, contained insults against Lukashenko.
He was released in the summer of 2022, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court, and deported to Russia.
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Alexei, a writer and teacher of Belarusian language and literature, was arrested in August 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 from August 9 to 10, 2020, in Minsk.
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 the restriction of freedom with a referral to imprisonment in a penal colony.
Artyom was arrested on June 22, 2021, when he appeared at the police station as a witness in a separate, "non-political" criminal case. His arrest was part of an investigation into charges of "participating in actions that grossly violate public order," "preparing to participate in mass riots," and "preparing to illegally manufacture and carry items whose destructive effect is based on the use of flammable substances." He had previously been wanted by the police, although he was not in hiding: he lived at home and went to work.
In September 2021, Artyom was convicted for participating in post-election protests that took place in Minsk in August 2020.
He was released in early May 2025, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
According to the indictment, on August 20, 2020, Artyom posted a wanted poster on the "Lyakhovichi 90%" Telegram chat using his mobile phone. He posted a photo of Lukashenko and contained ethnic information. That same day, he posted another wanted poster in the same chat containing statements directed at Lukashenko.
On September 9, 2021, Artyom was taken into custody in the courtroom after the verdict was announced.
According to human rights activists, he was released in March 2023, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
Alexander was convicted for a comment he left on the social network Odnoklassniki. According to the charges, he posted a single-word offensive comment under a photograph of an Interior Ministry officer detaining a participant in an unauthorized event during the pre-election period, "intending to insult a government official in connection with the performance of their official duties." Investigators believe he used the word "volnich" twice and, with his post, "negatively assessed the actions" of Senior Lieutenant Igor Volnich of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.
Artyom, a Belarusian Railways train driver, was found guilty of "insulting a government official" for a comment he left on the social network Odnoklassniki under a photograph of Igor Volnich, a traffic police officer from Gantsevichi, kneeling on the neck of a protester.
Alexey was arrested on July 27, 2021, in connection with a criminal case under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them." Earlier, on election day, August 9, 2020, he was detained at a polling station and beaten at Okrestina. On August 16, he participated in a march and showed bruises from the beating—protesters had written "You can't kill everyone" on his back, a moment filmed near the KGB building. He also participated in the March on October 25, 2020, where he climbed onto the roof of his car with a white-red-white flag and shouted "Long Live Belarus."
In September 2021, Alexey was convicted of participating in protests and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.
He was released in May 2022, having fully served his sentence.
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Vitaly was convicted in September 2021 for causing bodily harm to police officer Vladislav Suvorov during a search on April 23, 2021. According to the prosecution, he slammed a door on the officer's fingers, causing fractures and scratches.
In court, Vitaly explained that he was at home with his family that day when he heard his wife scream. In the hallway, he saw his son and at least four men in tracksuits and masks, who were trying to force their way into the apartment without identifying them. In shock, he tried to hold the door open, unaware that they were police officers and unaware that he could have injured their fingers. Vitaly emphasized that if he had immediately realized they were police officers, the situation would not have happened.
The court sentenced him to restricted freedom with direction and payment of large compensation.
Left Belarus.
In December 2024, a court hearing in absentia was held as part of a special proceeding on the issue of replacing the restriction of freedom with imprisonment in a penal colony.
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Maria, an English teacher at the Baranovichi Gymnasium, was convicted in September 2021 for her comment under a photo of Interior Ministry officer Vadim Yakimchik on the Telegram channel "Punishermen of Belarus": "...and I used to hang out with this d**k when I was younger..." A linguistic examination determined that the word "d**k" has a derogatory connotation and insults human dignity.
Yakimchik later filed a lawsuit for compensation for "moral damages," and in July 2022, the court upheld the claim.
Vladimir was convicted in 2021 for a comment he left on the social network Odnoklassniki—"...we need to kick this scum out..."—addressing traffic police inspector and police major Andrei Bagryonok, who actively participated in the beating of peaceful protesters in Svetlogorsk on August 9–10, 2020.
Released in the summer of 2024, having fully served the sentence imposed by the court.