Pursuit is over

Independent journalist, works for Radio Svaboda.

He was detained on November 25, sentenced to 10 days, but was not released on December 5 and was again given 10 days. But Andrei was not released on December 15 either, receiving another 10 days of arrest. A criminal case was opened against him.

On February 12, 2025, with the help of the US State Department, Elena Movshuk, journalist Andrei Kuznechik and a US citizen whose name has not yet been disclosed were released. They were pardoned by Lukashenko.

Details of the release were revealed to CNN by Chris Smith, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe.

"It was a special operation: we crossed the Belarusian border, met with authorities in Minsk, who handed over three detainees to us. We picked them up and took them through Lithuania." According to Smith, it was a "unilateral gesture" by the Belarusian authorities, seeking to improve relations with the United States.

"Lukashenko received nothing in return," he noted.

Dmitry was found guilty in October 2021 of "insulting a government official" for a comment on VKontakte about law enforcement officials, which the court deemed offensive. Dmitry leaves behind a pregnant wife and a disabled mother.

He was released in January 2024, having fully served his sentence.

Andrey, a sole proprietor, was detained on April 23, 2021, while attempting to fly to Moscow. It was then that he learned of a criminal case against him for "insulting a government official."

In August 2021, Andrei was accused of insulting OMON commander Warrant Officer Kovalchuk for a comment he left in the "Punishermen of Belarus" Telegram chat and sentenced to restricted freedom and placement in an open correctional facility.

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

Sergei was arrested in October 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," and placed in pretrial detention.

In March 2022, he was convicted of participating in a gang-up at a protest in Minsk on August 9, 2020. He reportedly suffered a head injury during the protest.

He was released in January 2023, having fully served his sentence.

A resident of Vitebsk.

The girl was charged under Article 130 of the Criminal Code (Incitement of Social Hatred) for transmitting data on security officials, teachers, and judges to the Telegram channel "Black Book of Belarus."

She was released in April 2026 after completing her sentence.

Dmitry was first detained after a protest on August 9, 2020, in Zhlobin. He was released after three days in police custody and then went to work in Russia. He was detained again in May 2021 at the request of Belarusian authorities, and extradited to Belarus in January 2022.

In May 2022, Dmitry was found guilty of "violence or threat of violence against a law enforcement officer" and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

He was released in December 2023, having fully served his sentence.

Lilia, a member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council, a renowned lawyer and international mediator, and a partner and director of the law firm Vlasova, Mikhel & Partners, was detained on August 31, 2020, by officers of the State Control Committee's Department of Financial Investigations on charges of "large-scale tax evasion" and placed in pretrial detention.

On October 19, 2020, Lilia's pre-trial detention was changed and she was placed under house arrest.

On October 23, 2020, the house arrest was lifted.

Vladimir was convicted in December 2021 in a criminal case opened following a protest that took place in Brest on September 13, 2020. During the protest, participants sang and danced in circles, and a water cannon was used against them.

He was found guilty of "active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order" and sentenced to restricted freedom in an open correctional facility.

He was released in February 2024, having fully served his sentence.

Kirill was convicted in December 2021 in a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them" for participating in a protest that took place from August 9 to 10, 2020, in Zhlobin.

He was released in January 2024, having fully served his sentence.

Ilya was convicted in December 2021 in a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them" for participating in a protest that took place from August 9 to 10, 2020, in Zhlobin.

He was released in January 2024, having fully served his sentence.

Maxim was found guilty in January 2022 of a criminal case brought for his participation in a post-election protest in Mozyr in August 2020. According to the prosecution, he participated in a gang, threw stones and bottles at police officers, and burned tires. The court hearing was closed at the request of the victims.

He was released in April 2022 as a result of the combination of his sentence for the previous case and the time he served in a correctional colony.

Nikita was found guilty in January 2022 of a criminal case brought for his participation in a post-election protest in Mozyr in August 2020. According to the prosecution, he participated in a gang, threw stones and bottles at police officers, and burned tires. The court hearing was closed at the request of the victims.

According to human rights activists, he was released in the summer of 2023, having fully served his sentence.

Ruslan was arrested on November 30, 2021, in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them," and was remanded in custody pending trial.

In April 2022, he was convicted of participating in a post-election protest that took place on August 9, 2020, in Molodechno and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

According to human rights activists, he was released in the spring of 2023, having fully served his sentence.

Olga was arrested on November 30, 2021, in connection with a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them," and was remanded in custody pending trial.

In April 2022, she was convicted of participating in a post-election protest that took place on August 9, 2020, in Molodechno and sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony.

She was released in August 2022, having fully served her sentence.

Tikhon was arrested in September 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," and was remanded in custody pending trial.

In December 2021, he was convicted of leaving seven comments in the "Grodno for Life" Telegram chat on September 6, 2020. He was also accused of participating in the "March of Unity," where, according to investigators, he and other participants formed a chain of ranks and blocked the entrance to the "Ranica" bookstore at 33 Mostovaya Street.

According to human rights activists, Tikhon was released in 2024, having fully served his sentence imposed by the court.