Belarus
Палітычныя зняволеныя ў Беларусі
1,001 documented cases
Belarus has held over a thousand political prisoners since the disputed August 2020 presidential election, when state security responded to mass protests with mass arrests. Charges most often invoked include Article 342 (organizing actions that grossly violate public order), Article 361 (calls against state security), and a growing list of 'extremism' designations applied to journalists, Telegram channels, and protest movements.
Political Prisoner Watch republishes case records maintained by Viasna Human Rights Centre — the country's leading documentation organization, whose own staff including Nobel Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski are themselves imprisoned. We translate cases to English, classify them by charge taxonomy, and surface them in the same database alongside Russia, Kazakhstan, and other monitored countries.
Primary sources: Viasna Human Rights Centre
Andrei Asipenka is charged under Article 130 of the Criminal Code for incitement to hatred. He has been sentenced to 1 and a half years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. His case is associated with the list of extremists.
Siarhei Boika, a Ukrainian citizen, was convicted of agent activity under Article 358-1 of the Criminal Code. He was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in a general-security penal colony and is currently held in Penal colony No. 1.
Mikalai Bunevich was convicted under Article 361 of the Criminal Code for calls for actions aimed at causing harm to national security, and Article 130 for incitement to hatred. He was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment in a general-security penal colony and is currently held in Penal colony No. 15.
Aliaksandr Chyzh was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. He was convicted under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus. The judge in the case was Alena Niamkova, and the verdict was delivered on June 19, 2024.
Yauhen Dzemianiou was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony for insulting a government official, insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus, and inciting hatred. Judge Tatsiana Falkouskaya delivered the verdict on November 14, 2024. He is listed as both an extremist and a terrorist.
Anton Dzianeika was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies, insulting a government official, insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus, and violence or threat against an official performing official duties. He is currently serving his sentence in Penal colony No. 15.
Piotr Filipovich was charged with insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus (Art. 368) and incitement to hatred (Art. 130). He was sentenced to imprisonment in a general-security penal colony, but the decision on the length of the sentence is unknown.
Siarhei Hutarenka was convicted under art. 188 of the Criminal Code (Defamation) and sentenced to imprisonment in a general-security penal colony. He is currently held in Penal colony No. 22, and his decision and penalty are unknown. The verdict was delivered on June 23, 2022.
Siarhei Hniauko was sentenced to 4 1/2 years of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony under Article 368 of the Criminal Code for insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus. The verdict was issued on June 4, 2023. He is currently serving his sentence in Penal colony No. 22.
Mikalai Dzemchanka's decision is currently unknown, but he faces imprisonment in a general-security penal colony for inciting hatred and slandering the President of the Republic of Belarus. Judge Anatol Sotnikau presided over the case and a verdict was expected on September 30, 2024.
Maksim Drabnitsa was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony for creating or participating in an extremist formation and organizing or participating in the activities of a terrorist organization. Judge Mikalai Dolia delivered the verdict on June 10, 2023.
Leanid Aviarchuk was found guilty under Article 342 for participating in actions that violate public order. He was sentenced to 1 1/2 years imprisonment in a general-security penal colony by Judge Andrei Hrushko on August 6, 2024.
46 of 1,001 cases are not yet plotted on the map, typically because the public source did not record a precise location.