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
- Parents of minors
Sergei was arrested in March 2021 and convicted that fall for posting stickers in Vitebsk. According to the prosecution, from October 1, 2020, to March 22, 2021, he engaged in activities aimed at "systematic property damage": using aerosol paint, he spray-painted slogans such as "Long Live Belarus!", "3%," "Red Partisan," "Go Away," and others on Vitebskvodokanal facilities.
In September 2024, another court hearing took place, following which Sergei was transferred to prison.
- Associations
- Parents of minors
Andrey, a construction worker and decorator, was arrested in July 2021 in a criminal case related to the "Busly Lyatsyats" initiative. Some of the charges involved damaging the car of a Borisov district judge. As a result, he was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment and a fine.
In September 2024, Andrei was convicted again under the article on “malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional institution.” This article is often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with the administration and provides for punishment for imaginary violations. As a result, his total sentence was increased to 17 years.
Andrei is survived by three children and a wife who has serious health problems.
- Associations
- Activists
Evgeny is an anarchist activist. He was arrested on July 29, 2021, in Minsk. His apartment was searched, and he was beaten during his arrest. To gain access to his phone and computer, they pulled a bag over Evgeny's head.
During his transfer to the pretrial detention center, all of his books were confiscated and he was placed on a preventative register as someone prone to extremism, which entails a note in his personal file, special treatment, and additional work with a psychologist.
Evgeny was initially charged with "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them." In January 2022, he and other defendants in the criminal case were additionally charged with participating in an extremist group for subscribing to the Telegram channel "Pramen." At the time of his arrest, the channel had not yet been added to the list of extremist groups; this only happened in November 2021.
In April 2022, Yevgeny was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony. In April 2023, his detention regime was tightened, and he was transferred to a prison regime. In October 2025, the court added another year to his prison sentence for "malicious disobedience to the administration's demands."
- Associations
- Foreign citizens
Egor, a Russian citizen, was detained on May 4, 2021, by GUBOPiK officers in a rented apartment after a search and was brutally beaten. He was held in pretrial detention for seven months on charges of "organizing actions that grossly violate public order" - for voicing videos and audio messages on the "OGSB" Telegram channel. However, in December of the same year, he was convicted under the articles "inciting hatred or discord" and "calls for actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus", and sentenced to the maximum possible prison term.
In June 2022, the conditions of detention were tightened, and Yegor was transferred to prison regime.
- Associations
- Activists
- Parents of minors
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.
- Associations
- Activists
Pavel, an activist of the anarchist movement, was arrested in March 2021 as part of a criminal case brought against anarchists from the Brest region. He was convicted of "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order" and "participation in a criminal organization." It is known that the charges were based on an episode related to the "March of Non-Parasites" that took place on March 5, 2017, as well as events that took place near the building of the Brest GUBOPiK in 2016.
- Associations
- Activists
- Students
Nikita was arrested in October 2019 and convicted of attacks on the buildings of Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 and the Minsk City Court in Minsk in solidarity with political prisoners. He was initially sentenced to seven years in prison, but on appeal, his sentence was reduced to four years. In May 2020, Nikita was transferred to a prison regime.
In March 2022, he was convicted again of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the correctional facility administration"—a charge often applied to inmates who refuse to cooperate with prison authorities. In March 2023, he was transferred back to the prison regime.
Throughout his imprisonment, Nikita has been subjected to constant pressure. He is frequently placed in solitary confinement, where he is held in isolation for dozens of days. He is denied visits from his family, his correspondence is restricted, and his personal belongings are confiscated. In response to the harsh conditions, Nikita protests with hunger strikes and by refusing to comply with the administration's demands. He is also regularly subjected to penalties for minor infractions, such as refusing to clean the courtyard or for inter-cell communication.
Three months before his release, in February 2025, Nikita faced another court hearing on charges of "malicious disobedience to the demands of the administration of a correctional facility," as a result of which he was sentenced to another year of imprisonment.
By December 2024, Nikita had spent a total of 568 days in solitary confinement, including two months of continuous isolation.
As of the beginning of December 2025, Nikita had spent 648 days in solitary confinement.
- Associations
- Activists
Igor, an activist of the For Freedom movement, was detained in a criminal case initiated due to protests and clashes between Pinsk residents and security forces on the night of August 9-10, 2020. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots." The victims in the case were 109 police officers and officials, who, in addition to imprisonment, demanded about 530 thousand rubles in compensation from the accused.
In January 2022, he was transferred to prison regime.
- Associations
- Athletes
Daniil, a fan of FC Volna, was detained on August 10, 2020, as part of a criminal case initiated due to protests and clashes between Pinsk residents and security forces on the night of August 9-10, 2020. He was convicted of participating in "mass riots." The victims in the case were 109 police officers and officials, who, in addition to imprisonment, demanded about 530 thousand rubles in compensation from the accused.
- Associations
- Civil servants
- Parents of minors
In 2020, Vladimir coordinated Viktor Babariko's regional group. After graduating from the Mogilev State Technical University in 2001, he worked in the Mogilev City Executive Committee, and in 2018 he became his deputy, responsible for construction and housing and communal services. He left the post in October 2019.
On June 11, 2020, employees of the Financial Investigation Department conducted a search at the Belgazprombank office and at persons associated with Babariko, after which Vladimir was detained. In September 2021, the court found him guilty of abuse of office and fraud, but he did not admit his guilt.
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
Vladimir was arrested on December 30, 2020, as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case" on charges of "preparing a terrorist attack," but this charge was later dropped. In May 2021, he was convicted of "violence against an official." Investigators claimed that during his arrest, he threatened investigators and smashed his mobile phone.
The "Autukhovich case" began in May 2022. During the trial, Vladimir was removed from the sessions several times and sent to solitary confinement. At one of the June sessions, he was placed in a cage in his underwear, with his hands handcuffed to the bars. In response, Vladimir went on a hunger strike, which he held for 11 days. In this case, he was convicted of "creating a criminal organization" and "attempting to seize power."
In December 2022, Vladimir was charged with insulting prosecutor Lyudmila Gerasimenko, who represented the prosecution in the "Autukhovich case," and was given an additional term. He was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in a maximum-security penal colony.
Transferred to prison regime in October 2023.
- Associations
- Entrepreneurs
Eduard, who graduated from BGEU with a degree in Economics and Business Management and ran the crowdfunding platforms Ulej and MolaMola, as well as his father Viktor Babariko's initiative group, was detained on June 18, 2020, on his way to the Central Election Commission to submit signatures. He spent more than three years in prison without trial and was convicted of "organizing mass riots" and "tax evasion."
In July 2024, he was re-sentenced to two years in prison for “disobeying the prison administration.”
- Associations
Ivan, who has two higher educations, previously worked as an artist-designer and then became an animator, director and video editor. He is also an artist and author of short stories. On October 21, 2020, he was detained and convicted on charges of posting calls for destabilization of public order on a Telegram channel, including arson of the KGB and Oshmyany District Prosecutor's Office buildings.
In December 2022, he was retried for "disobeying the demands of the administration." In May 2024, Ivan was again convicted of "malicious disobedience" and additionally imprisoned for 2 years.
- Associations
- Factory workers
Evgeny was detained in connection with the mass riots and accused of participating in Telegram channels of a "radical orientation."
In May 2023, he was convicted again for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration."
- Associations
- Athletes
