Dmitry Rudolfovich Shinvize
The Department of the Execution of Punishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus for the Mogilev Region. Correctional Colony No. 2 in Babruisk. Head of the Operational-Regime Unit, Major. Dmitry Rudolfovich Shinvize is an accomplice to the repressions in the Babruisk colony, guilty of using violence and creating harsh conditions for political prisoners: placing them in a punishment cell upon arrival, refusing to give them parcels, and prohibiting them from communicating with other prisoners. He greeted new arrivals with the words: "You have ended up in the 'reddest' colony in the world." He is known for his cruelty and strict control of the regime, personally conducting inspections and punishing for the slightest violations, accompanying this with abuse and bullying. He gave propaganda lectures to political prisoners. In 2023, he introduced new restrictions on the mailing of books and medical supplies. At the beginning of 2024, he resigned and went to Germany under the repatriation program for descendants of German colonists (Spätaussiedler). According to BELPOL, he lives under the name Dimitri Schönwiese in Schwerin. At least 50 political prisoners remain in Colony No. 2. The German authorities have been notified of his involvement in the repressions.
The Department of the Execution of Punishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus for the Mogilev Region. Correctional Colony No. 2 in Babruisk. Head of the Operational-Regime Unit, Major. Dmitry Rudolfovich Shinvize is an accomplice to the repressions in the Babruisk colony, guilty of using violence and creating harsh conditions for political prisoners: placing them in a punishment cell upon arrival, refusing to give them parcels, and prohibiting them from communicating with other prisoners. He greeted new arrivals with the words: "You have ended up in the 'reddest' colony in the world." He is known for his cruelty and strict control of the regime, personally conducting inspections and punishing for the slightest violations, accompanying this with abuse and bullying. He gave propaganda lectures to political prisoners. In 2023, he introduced new restrictions on the mailing of books and medical supplies. At the beginning of 2024, he resigned and went to Germany under the repatriation program for descendants of German colonists (Spätaussiedler). According to BELPOL, he lives under the name Dimitri Schönwiese in Schwerin. At least 50 political prisoners remain in Colony No. 2. The German authorities have been notified of his involvement in the repressions.
List of repressed
- Associations
- People with disabilities
- Parents of minors
Valentin was detained in a criminal case opened after a protest that took place in Pinsk on the night of August 9-10, 2020 against falsifications in the presidential elections. After the detention, the man felt ill and was taken under escort to the Pinsk Central Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a pre-infarction condition and placed in intensive care. As soon as his condition improved, he was transferred to a temporary detention facility and later convicted of participating in "mass riots."
He was released in August 2024 under a pardon.
- Associations
- Activists
- Civil servants
- Foreign citizens
- Parents of minors
Andrei is a Russian citizen and a volunteer for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's initiative group. He was first detained on June 6, 2020, in Belarus for participating in a picket to collect signatures, which was considered an unauthorized event. He was soon charged under the article on "preparing and organizing actions that grossly violate public order."
On November 26, 2020, Andrei was taken to the border with Russia and banned from entering Belarus for 10 years. He left behind a wife and two children in the country.
On April 13, 2021, he was detained again in the village of Prusy, where he had secretly come to visit his family. He was later convicted of “illegal border crossing,” although the charges in the previous case were not dropped.
He was released in October 2022 after completing his sentence and deported to Russia.
- Associations
Artem was detained in connection with a criminal case brought for damaging three Tabakeroks. He was convicted of writing the words “Long Live Belarus” on one of them and “actively resisting detention.”
According to human rights activists, he was released in the winter of 2023, having fully served the sentence imposed by the court.
- Associations
- Foreign citizens
- Politicians
- Lawyers
Youras, a politician and lawyer, 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 on several criminal charges, despite the fact that he fully admitted his guilt and entered into an agreement with the investigation.
In December 2022, he was convicted again for “insulting a government official.” According to the state-run newspaper Minska Pravda, in 2020–2021, he allegedly repeatedly left offensive comments on a Telegram channel recognized as extremist.
In June 2023, Yourasya's sentence was increased, and he was transferred to prison regime. In August 2024, he was convicted of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration" - an article under which prisoners are tried for refusing to cooperate or for fictitious violations. As a result, taking into account all the court's decisions, his total term of imprisonment was 13 years and 3 months.
Youras was under constant pressure: he was repeatedly sent to solitary confinement, deprived of parcels and the opportunity to shop. In protest, he went on hunger strike several times. It is also known that he has serious health problems.
He was released in April 2025.
Pavel was arrested and convicted of attempting to short-circuit the tracks on the railway on November 11, 2020.
He was released in April 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Activists
An activist of the "Country for Life" and a member of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's team, Oleg has been repeatedly detained under political administrative articles. He was detained along with another activist, Oleksandr Mateyuk, who were known to have been under surveillance since the fall of 2020. Oleg was subsequently convicted on fabricated drug-related criminal charges.
He was released in December 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
Ivan was detained in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against falsifications in the presidential elections that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots."
According to human rights activists, he was released in October 2024, having fully served his sentence.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Roman was detained in a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against election fraud that took place in Brest on August 10, 2020. During the protest, he was seriously injured and underwent long-term treatment. He was later convicted of participating in "mass riots."
He was released in April 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
Alexander was detained and charged with several episodes. According to the investigation, he repeatedly threatened judges Malashenko and Linnik by phone and in messages, as well as police officers. As a result, he was convicted under articles for "insult" and "threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs agencies."
He was released in the fall of 2023, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Ivan was convicted for allegedly resisting a police officer during a protest against the results of the presidential elections, which took place on August 9, 2020, in Brest.
He was released in August 2023, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Vadim was detained as part of a criminal case initiated over the events that took place from August 9 to 10, 2020 in Minsk, and convicted of participating in a protest, as well as for allegedly intentionally threatening traffic police officers and damaging their car.
He was released in December 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Military
- Foreign citizens
- Retirees
Igor, a Minsk resident, a citizen of the Russian Federation and a reserve officer, was arrested and convicted for filling the front door of the apartment of Tatyana Oboznaya, an employee of the internal affairs agencies, with polyurethane foam, who falsely commented on the death of Roman Bondarenko, who was killed by security forces. He was also accused of writing an offensive inscription on her mailbox.
He was released after serving his full sentence as determined by the court and deported to the Russian Federation on March 12, 2022.
- Associations
Nikita, a biker, was convicted in a criminal case opened after an incident on September 19, 2020, near the Europa shopping center in Minsk. At that time, unknown persons tried to detain one of the motorcyclists, and the others stood up for him.
In December 2023, he was released, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.
| 15.10.2023 | Освобожден |
Igor was detained on October 4, 2020, at the "March for the Liberation of Political Prisoners" protest and arrested for 13 days, but was never released. He was later convicted in a criminal case for "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order."
He was released in January 2022, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- IT staff
Roman was arrested and convicted in a criminal case opened after the August 2020 protests in Minsk. He was accused of erecting barricades at the Pushkinskaya metro station, where protester Alexander Taraikovsky died. The only evidence of his guilt was a photograph from his phone. Roman did not admit his guilt.
He was released in the summer of 2024, having fully served his sentence as determined by the court.
