Paul Ivanovich Kazakov

Igor is a lawyer from Lida. In 2020, he was an election observer, and after that, he helped victims and those dismissed for political reasons. He was detained in January 2021 as part of a criminal case initiated under the article "Violence or threat against an official performing official duties." The reason for initiating the case was an incident that occurred during Igor's detention.

In the pretrial detention center, he went on a hunger strike for 32 days. In June 2021, Igor was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment and a large fine.

According to available information, Igor was subjected to strong pressure and torture in penal colony No. 1.

In August 2022, the court toughened the punishment, after which Igor was transferred to prison.

He was released in September 2023, having served his entire sentence.

Yuzef, a pensioner, was detained after participating in the "March of Unity" action, which took place on September 6, 2020, in Grodno. He was charged under articles on participation in group actions that violate public order and on the use of violence or the threat of its use against a police officer - because he defended a woman from the brutal actions of riot police.

Initially, Yusef was sentenced to restricted freedom in an open-type institution, but after an appeal by the prosecutor's office, the sentence was reviewed, and ultimately he was sentenced to imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

He was released in July 2022, having served his full sentence.

Sofia, a student at the European Humanities University and a citizen of the Russian Federation, was detained in May 2021 after the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk by Belarusian authorities. The plane was en route from Athens to Vilnius. Sofia was accused of administering the Telegram channel "Black Book of Belarus", which published personal data and information about the private lives of civil servants.

At the end of December 2021, she was finally charged under seven articles of the Criminal Code, after which the case was referred to court.

The case was heard behind closed doors. In May 2022, Sofia was found guilty of two criminal charges. Following the trial, she was sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to pay compensation to the victims and court fees totaling about $70,000. The entire amount was subsequently paid by her family.

Sofia was released in June 2023 as part of a pardon.

Andrei, the son of a priest from Grodno, was detained on May 4, 2021. He was accused of insulting district police officer Maxim Chertkov in a comment on the Telegram channel "Grodno 97%" and threatening to use violence against a police officer. Experts noted that Andrei's statements contained negative assessments, but there were no signs of threats. Despite this, the case was first reclassified as a "terrorist article", and then as "incitement of hatred". Even after a second examination, which confirmed the absence of threats, Andrei was still convicted.

He was released in June 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Vasily was detained and convicted under the article on "hooliganism" for allegedly using violence against aggressive supporters of Lukashenko and activists of the "Anti-Vandal" movement - Alexander Galakhov and Olga Bondareva, when they painted over the image of the white-red-white flag. Vasily did not admit guilt and refused to give the last word.

In April 2022, the court considered the appeal, as well as the prosecutor's appeal against the verdict in this case. The court did not satisfy Vasily's appeal, but partially satisfied the prosecutor's protest, replacing the punishment from imprisonment without referral to imprisonment with referral to an open-type correctional facility.

In July of the same year, the court granted Olga Bondareva’s civil claim and ordered Vasily to pay her compensation.

He was released in January 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Alexander, a neurologist, worked in Norilsk, Russia. He was detained in May 2021 upon his return to Belarus in connection with a criminal case opened for insulting law enforcement officials.

In January 2022, he was convicted under three criminal articles for comments addressed to 32 officials. As Alexander himself explained, he left them emotionally, since during the August 2020 protests he volunteered near the detention center on Okrestina. In addition to imprisonment, the court ordered him to pay moral compensation in favor of 20 employees. At the hearing, it also became known that one of the victims in the case beat Alexander during his arrest.

In November 2022, he was convicted again under the articles “insulting a government official” and “threatening violence against an official.”

On April 3, 2024, his punishment was increased and he was transferred to prison.

He was released in November 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Galina was detained and convicted for participating in a protest against violence in the country and the falsification of the presidential elections - the Unity March, which took place in Grodno on September 6, 2020.

According to human rights activists, she was released in January 2024, having fully served her sentence imposed by the court.

Vyacheslav was detained at his home on March 10, 2021. After waiting for his parents to leave, the security forces broke down the door, conducted a search without their presence, put Vyacheslav on the floor and beat him.

He was accused of participating in protests that took place in Minsk in August–September 2020 against election fraud and violence by security forces. Vyacheslav was convicted under the article on “group actions grossly violating public order” and sentenced to a restriction of freedom.

In June 2022, his punishment was toughened, and he was transferred to a penal colony before the end of his term.

He was released in March 2023, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Anastasia was convicted of, according to investigators, obstructing police actions during the arrest of a man in Lida on September 27, 2020, using violence: she tore off the shoulder strap of one officer and hit him in the head, and tore off the shoulder strap of the second.

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

Andrei was arrested and convicted in a criminal case following a protest that took place in Grodno on September 6, 2020, against violence and the results of the presidential election. He was accused of "intending to hurt 11 riot police officers out of revenge and threatening their personal safety."

He was released in December 2023, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Grigoriy, the BPF presidential candidate in the 2010 elections and the party's chairman, was arrested on April 12, 2021, in a criminal case opened under the article "conspiracy or other actions committed with the aim of seizing state power." In September 2022, he was sentenced to a long prison term, despite his health deteriorating in prison and the discovery of cancer.

In the summer of 2023, he was deprived of visits and had his personal records confiscated, including a draft of a book and correspondence addresses. In November of that year, he was transferred to a PKT for 6 months.

In January 2024, Grigory's punishment was toughened and he was transferred to prison regime. In April of the same year, he underwent surgery and was immediately returned to his cell.

Released in July 2024 as part of a pardon.

Konstantin was convicted under the article on “inciting hatred or discord” for a comment left on the Internet.

He was released in June 2023, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Ivan was convicted for a comment about police officers that he posted in September 2020 in the “People’s Patrol” group on the VKontakte social network.

In May 2022, his punishment was increased and he was transferred to a penal colony for "disturbing the order in a correctional facility." It is known that the reason for this was four reports drawn up for him "lying down on the bed."

He was released in December 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.

Andrei was detained for participating in a protest that took place on September 23, 2020 against Lukashenko's inauguration in Minsk. He was convicted of blocking the roadway near the Pushkinskaya metro station, as well as allegedly damaging two patrol cars and attacking two traffic police officers. Andrei did not admit his guilt.

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

He was released in August 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.