Stanislav Sergeevich Kovalev
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- Stanislav Sergeevich Kovalev
Stanislav Sergeevich Kovalev
An accomplice to crimes against the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens. Stanislav Sergeyevich Kovalev is a law enforcement officer involved in politically motivated repression.
Guilty of using violence and creating inappropriate conditions for political prisoners at Penal Colony No. 4 in Gomel. For a long time, he served as the colony's deputy warden for security and operational work. In August 2024, he became the warden of Penal Colony No. 4 and received the rank of colonel.
He exerted psychological pressure on women convicted for political reasons. He ordered the colony's operational staff to isolate, deny medical care, and cruelly treat political prisoners. He was involved in filing reports of violations on trumped-up grounds, with the aim of sending them to solitary confinement or depriving them of food parcels. He made monthly decisions on sending political prisoners to solitary confinement, including Veronika Kazak, Yulia Yurgelevich, Nastya Kukhta, Natalya Matveyeva, Nasta Loyko, Natalya Dulina, Maria Kolesnikova, Lyudmila Chekina, Olga Radionova, 70-year-old Irina Merkhel, and many others. He also ordered human rights activist Nasta Loyko to be sent to a punishment cell for the maximum sentence (after six months).
An accomplice to crimes against the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens. Stanislav Sergeyevich Kovalev is a law enforcement officer involved in politically motivated repression.
Guilty of using violence and creating inappropriate conditions for political prisoners at Penal Colony No. 4 in Gomel. For a long time, he served as the colony's deputy warden for security and operational work. In August 2024, he became the warden of Penal Colony No. 4 and received the rank of colonel.
He exerted psychological pressure on women convicted for political reasons. He ordered the colony's operational staff to isolate, deny medical care, and cruelly treat political prisoners. He was involved in filing reports of violations on trumped-up grounds, with the aim of sending them to solitary confinement or depriving them of food parcels. He made monthly decisions on sending political prisoners to solitary confinement, including Veronika Kazak, Yulia Yurgelevich, Nastya Kukhta, Natalya Matveyeva, Nasta Loyko, Natalya Dulina, Maria Kolesnikova, Lyudmila Chekina, Olga Radionova, 70-year-old Irina Merkhel, and many others. He also ordered human rights activist Nasta Loyko to be sent to a punishment cell for the maximum sentence (after six months).
List of repressed
Valentina was first convicted in May 2021 for “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. At that time, the participants were singing and dancing in a circle, and a water cannon was used against them.
In April 2024, it became known that Valentina was detained for participating in a protest on August 10, 2020 in Brest against falsifications in the presidential elections. In August of the same year, she was sentenced to imprisonment, counting the previously imposed punishment in the form of "house arrest" towards her term.
She was released in the fall of 2024, having fully served her sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Activists
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Activists
- Parents of minors
Activist and volunteer Olga was detained in March 2021. Physical violence was used against her at the time of her detention. She was convicted of participating in protests that took place in Minsk in 2020 against violence and the results of the presidential elections, as well as under the article on "creation of an extremist group or participation in it."
Olga was an election observer, volunteered near the Minsk detention center in Okrestina Lane, and later in the courts. She was detained several times during street protests and fined significant amounts.
In September 2024, Olga was released, having fully served her sentence imposed by the court.
- Associations
- Students
- Associations
- Students
Vitalia was detained upon her return to Belarus as part of a criminal case opened after spontaneous protests against the falsification of the presidential elections that took place on August 10, 2020 in Brest. She was convicted of participating in "mass riots." According to the case materials, the total damage amounted to about 24 thousand Belarusian rubles.
She was released in December 2024, having fully served her sentence as determined by the court.
- Associations
- Journalists
- Associations
- Journalists
Darya, a journalist for the Belsat TV channel, was reporting live from the courtyard of the Square of Change, where peaceful protesters gathered for a protest rally held in Minsk on November 15, 2020, under the slogan "I'm coming out." These were the last words of Raman Bondarenko, who was killed by security forces, and those gathered came to honor his memory. Darya was detained along with her colleague Ekaterina Bakhvalova during the violent dispersal of the rally and was later convicted of "participation in group actions that grossly violate public order."
She was released in September 2022, having fully served her sentence as determined by the court.
| 03.09.2022 | Released!! |
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Retirees
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Retirees
Galina was detained on December 10, 2020, as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case", which the authorities declared "the organizer of a terrorist group". She was accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" involved in arson of police officers' property. During the investigation, Galina was constantly threatened and forced to incriminate herself. She wrote complaints to the prosecutor's office, but received no answers, and was also subjected to harsh conditions in a punishment cell, which led to her losing consciousness several times. She was convicted of "participation in a criminal organization", "act of terrorism" and "attempted seizure of power".
In the spring of 2024, Galina and two other defendants in the “case” were ordered to pay compensation for damage to the police officers’ property in the amount of more than 40 thousand rubles.
On September 11, 2025, it became known that 52 prisoners of the Belarusian regime were forcibly transferred to the territory of Lithuania. Among them are citizens of European countries. Among those released is Galina Derbysh.
Irina was arrested on December 1, 2020, as part of the criminal "Avtukhovich case", which the authorities declared "the organizer of a terrorist group". She was accused of participating in a "terrorist organization" involved in arson of police officers' property. Irina was convicted of "illegal actions with firearms" and "concealing a serious crime". In March 2023, the Supreme Court considered an appeal of the case, overturning the charge under Article 405 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus and reducing her prison term by one month.
She was released on parole in September 2024.
- Associations
- Journalists
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Journalists
- Parents of minors
Former television journalist of Belteleradiocompany and member of the Coordination Council, Ksenia was detained on December 22, 2020 in the Press Club case on charges of tax evasion.
Almost 110 thousand rubles were transferred to the Investigative Committee's account as security for possible compensation for damages that were allegedly caused by the defendants in the "case." The case was closed, but later a new criminal case was opened against Ksenia, and she was accused of "conspiracy or other actions committed with the aim of seizing state power."
Released on August 20, 2024, on the basis of a pardon.
- Associations
- Human rights activists
- Students
- Associations
- Human rights activists
- Students
Marfa, the coordinator of the Viasna volunteer service, was arrested on September 17, 2020, on charges of financing mass riots (Article 293, Part 3). In February 2021, she was charged with additional charges, including "inciting social discord" and "participation in a criminal organization."
In September 2022, Marfa was convicted on several criminal charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison and a large fine.
In February 2023, during an appeal hearing, her sentence was reduced by three months. Marfa's health deteriorated in prison, in part due to COVID-19.
On March 19, 2026, she was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Lithuania.
- Associations
- Activists
- Retirees
- Associations
- Activists
- Retirees
A well-known activist and confidant of presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Gomel, Tatyana has been campaigning for changes to anti-drug legislation for several years as part of the "Mothers 328 Movement" initiative. On August 6, 2020, she was detained in her home, accused of "mass riots" and plans to "seize buildings."
In January 2022, it became known that Tatyana had been transferred to prison regime.
According to human rights activists, she is denied visitation rights and is allowed to receive only one small parcel per year. Letters from Tatyana arrive extremely rarely. Furthermore, she has developed spinal problems.
She was released in February 2025.
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Parents of minors
- Associations
- Activists
- People with disabilities
- Parents of minors
Antonina, a trusted person of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, was detained on September 6, 2020 and convicted in an administrative case for participating in an unauthorized event. However, after the trial, she was not released, but detained again as part of a criminal case.
In May 2021, Antonina was convicted under the article on “mass riots”.
Released in December 2024 as part of a pardon.
- Associations
- Politicians
- Associations
- Politicians
Maria, a member of the Coordination Council Presidium and head of Viktor Babaryka's headquarters, was kidnapped on September 7, 2020, and taken to the Belarusian-Ukrainian border for deportation. She tore up her passport and refused to leave the country. On September 9, she was detained and taken into custody.
In September 2021, she was convicted of "conspiracy to seize power through unconstitutional means," "calls for action against national security," and "creation of an extremist group."
In November 2022, Maria underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer and peritonitis. Since March 2023, she has been in the penal colony. Due to health issues, she was unable to work; she was even accompanied to formations.
Maria was held incommunicado for a long time. In the summer of 2024, it became known that the administration had isolated her from other prisoners, with guards constantly present. On November 12, 2024, she saw her father for the first time in 18 months.
The meeting took place in the prison hospital, and it's unclear whether she was undergoing treatment or brought there from the PKT. Prior to this, there had been no communication from Maria, and information about her condition was only available from other inmates.
Following this meeting, she was again cut off from communication with the outside world and continues to be held incommunicado.
In February 2025, her sister reported that Maria had been returned to the unit and expressed hope that contact would be restored.
On December 13, 2025, she was released after another visit to Minsk by US President Donald Trump's special representative, John Cole, and taken to Ukraine.