Prisoners
Our brothers and sisters who have been imprisoned by the regime because of their beliefs
Rabochy Rukh
Ablab Hanna
Engineer of the Transportation Control Center of the Belarusian Railway in the train schedule development department. Detained by KGB operatives on September 20, 2021 after a search in her house and placed in the KGB pre-trial detention center. She was charged under Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Sentenced to 11 years in prison. She has two minor children.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 4
246035, Homiel, vulica Antoshkina 3
SPB
Aliakseichyk Aliaksei
He was detained at the workplace, at the National Scientific Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology. Aleksey Alekseychik is a doctor with more than 20 years of experience performing bone marrow transplantation. Sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 17
213004, Shklou city, vulica 1 Zavodskaya 8
Now!
Free trade union activists!
The Association «Salidarnast» considers one of the main tasks to be the struggle for the release of our arrested colleagues, recognized as political prisoners. We will fight for their freedom till the end!
REP
Areshka Vatslau
REP trade union activist, trade union newspaper editor. Arrested on April 19, 2022 after a search in the apartment. On January 5, 2023, he was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was been held in Mogilev Prison #4.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 17
213004, Škloŭ, vulica 1-ja Zavodskaja 8
REP
Berasneu Vasil
Acting chairman of the REP trade union. He was detained on April 19, 2022 as part of a criminal case, placed in a pre-trial detention center and charged. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison under a reinforced regime.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
BNP
Berdnikovich Uladzimir
Sentenced to 4 years in prison under article 364: "Violence or the threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies." According to relatives, 4.10. 2020, Vladimir was at one of the rallies, running away during dispersal, he was knocked down by a water cannon from the parapet, and he fell from a height onto an riot police officer. Later, this fall was regarded as violence against a police officer.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Will be updated soon...
SPM
Sakovich Sviatlana
Sviatlana, a member of the SPM trade union and a former employee of the MTZ foundry, was detained by the Belarusian police in August 2022 for participating in protests that took place in Belarus in 2020.
The woman was convicted on November 25, 2022 for a crime under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order). The court found her guilty and sentenced Sviatlana to three years of restriction of freedom without being sent to a correctional institution. Svetlana was released in the courtroom.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
BNP
Kukharonak Aliaksandr
Aliaksandr Kukharonak, who was one of the first to declare a strike at the enterprise in 2020, was detained on August 11 by riot police in the village of Rositsa, Verkhnedvinsk district.
The searches took place in his apartment in Navapolatsk, as well as at his parents' house and in the village of Rositsa. Kukharonak is charged under Article 361 of the Criminal Code (calls for restrictive measures (sanctions), other actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus), but it's not known in what part.
Current location of the political prisoner:
SIZO No. 2
210026, Gagarina Street 2, Viciebsk
SPM
Varanovich Zmitser
Zmitser, a member of the SPM trade union and a former employee of BelAZ, was found guilty of insulting Lukashenka and (Part 1 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code) and two policemen (Article 369 of the Criminal Code).
The man was sentenced to two and a half years in a penal colony under general regime conditions and a fine of 100 basic units. The court session was held behind closed doors at the request of the representative of the prosecutor's office.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 17
213004, Škloŭ, vulica 1-ja Zavodskaja 8
SPM
Chychmarou Vitali
A former engineer. He was fired in 2020 due to trade union activities. He managed the primary organization of the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers.
He was detained on April 19, 2022, and the house was searched. Vitaly was charged, he was placed in a pre-trial detention center. He has a minor child. Vitali has been sentenced to three years of restricted freedom under home confinement.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
Rabochy Rukh
Dziuba Siarhei
Rabochy Rukh activist, worked as a dispatcher at the Transportation Control Center of the Belarusian Railway. In November 2020, he joined the nationwide strike. Detained by KGB operatives on September 20, 2021 after a search in the house and placed in the KGB pre-trial detention center.
A criminal case has been initiated under part 1 of article 356 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Sentenced to 12 years in prison. He has three minor children.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 3
211322, Viciebsk region, Vićba
REP
Fiadynich Hennadz
Former chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Radioelectronic Industry Workers - REP. Gennady was detained on April 19, 2022 and placed in the KGB pre-trial detention center. Then he was charged and transferred to SIZO-1. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison under a high security regime.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 2
213800, Babrujsk, vulica Sikorskaha 1
Rabochy Rukh
Hashnikau Aliaksandr
Locksmith BMZ in Zhlobin, where he simultaneously worked as secretary-treasurer of the primary organization of the BNP. He was detained on September 18, 2021. He was detained as part of the investigation of a criminal case on “high treason” (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) against several workers of Belarusian factories who supported local strikes after the falsification of the August elections. 2020 and were part of the Labor Rights Group "Rabochy Rukh". Sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 1
211440, Navapolack, vulica Techničnaya 8
REP
Sharenda-Panasiuk Palina
Public and trade union activist from Brest. Palina was detained on 3 January 2021 and charged under Article 364 of the Criminal Code (Violence against a police officer) for inflicting a scratch on one of the policemen who came to her home. Later it became known that she was also accused of insulting the president (Article 368 of the Criminal Code) and a representative of the authorities (Article 369 of the Criminal Code). During her imprisonment Palina was placed in a punishment cell several times, she complained about psychological and physical pressure. She was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in a colony under general regime. As of the beginning of December 2021, Palina had already been placed in the punitive isolator five times since August. It is known that another case has been opened on her under Article 411 of the Criminal Code – Malicious disobedience of the requirements of the administration of the correctional facility.
Current location of the political prisoner:
SIZO No. 1
220050, vulica Valadarskaha 2, Minsk.
REP
Smirnova Halina
Smirnova Halina, who previously headed the Bobruisk regional organization of the Belarusian Trade Union of Radioelectronic Industry Workers (REP), was detained in Bobruisk on March 24, 2023. The woman was placed in a temporary detention center. A criminal case was initiated against Halina under Article 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Detention on immediate suspicion of committing a crime) and Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them).
The court found Halina guilty and sentenced her to two years of restriction of freedom without being sent to a correctional institution.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
SPM
Hromau Mikhail
Secretary of the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers trade union council. He was arrested on April 19, 2022. Mikhail was charged and placed in a pre-trial detention center. He is charged with Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (Group actions grossly violating public order) and sentenced to 2 and a half years of restricted freedom under home confinement.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
SPB
Kandratsiuk Aliaksandr
On September 5, Aliaksandr Kandratsiuk, a member of SPB, a junior researcher at the Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, was detained and charged under three articles of the Criminal Code: Article 130 part 1 – incitement of social enmity, Article 368 and Article 369 part 1 – public insult of the President and discrediting the Republic of Belarus for the comments in social networks. The court found Aliaksandr guilty and sentenced him to three and a half years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Will be updated soon...
SPM
Karneenka Hanna
Anna, a former accountant of the Minsk Electrotechnical Plant named after Vavilov and a member of the SPM trade union, was fired after the "People's Ultimatum" in 2020 and was suing the company for illegal dismissal. Recently it became known that a criminal case was opened against her.
The woman was charged under Art. 203-1 part 3 (illegal actions in relation to information about private life and personal data), art. 130 part 3 (inciting racial, national, religious or other social hatred).
The court found Hanna guilty and sentenced her to five years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal Colony No. 4
246035, Antoshkina str. 3, Homel,
Belarus
Rabochy Rukh
Kapshul Aliaksandr
Legal adviser of JSC Naftan and Polymir plants. He was detained on September 25, 2021 in Russia and handed over to the KGB officers of Belarus, who secretly brought him to Minsk, bypassing the official extradition procedure.
He was detained as part of the investigation of a criminal case on “high treason” (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) against several workers of Belarusian factories who supported local strikes after the rigged elections in August 2020 and were members of the Rabochy Rukh. Sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
BNP
Khanevich Andrei
Chairperson of Belarusian Independent trade union at JSC Grodno Azot. After the court ruling had been recognized the union organization as an extremist group, the criminal accusation of the chairperson followed. On November 16th 2022 Khanevich faced the trial on accusations of aiding and abetting in extremist activities and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment. Andrei is going to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 1
211440, Navapolack, vulica Techničnaya 8
BNP
Brytsikava Volha
Volha, former chairperson of the primary trade union organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BNP) at JSC “Naftan”, was again detained on August 11 by the riot police.
Brytsikava is accused under Part 1 of Article 361 of the Criminal Code (public calls for the seizure of state power, or violent change of the constitutional order, or treason, or committing an act of terrorism or sabotage, or the implementation of actions aimed at violating the territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus, or other actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus, including the application of restrictive measures (sanctions) against the Republic of Belarus).
Current location of the political prisoner:
SIZO No. 2
210026, Gagarina Street 2, Viciebsk
SPB
Mialeshka Aliaksandr
Board member of SPB union branch organization “Panacea”. An employee of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center for Children's Oncology, Hematology and Immunology was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom under home confinement allegedly for taking part in two unauthorized mass events in 2020.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
SPB
Barushka Volha
Volha, an anesthesiologist-resuscitator at the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology. She was detained in August 2022 for comments on the Internet. Volha was charged under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (Insulting a representative of the authorities) and Article 391 of the Criminal Code (Insulting a judge). On December 22, 2022, the court sentenced her to 2 years in a minimum-security penal colony.
On March 17, 2023 an appeal hearing was held: the verdict was upheld and the appeal was not satisfied. Since April 2023, Volha has been kept in penal colony No. 4. She was put on the list of persons involved in extremist activities.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal Colony No. 4
246035, Antoshkina str. 3, Homel
Naftan
Mints Ihar
Ihar is a legal adviser to Naftan OJSC. He was detained and placed in the KGB pre-trial detention facility in Minsk the day after the search of his house in Novopolotsk on 22 September 2021.
Mints was charged with high treason (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) in the Rabochy Rukh case. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 17
213004, Škloŭ, vulica 1-ja Zavodskaja 8
BNP
Mishuk Aliaksandr
Vice-chairperson of the Belarusian Independent trade union, BNP; chairperson of the Independent trade union of miners at JSC Belaruskali; he was arrested on 25th of May 2022 after a search in his office and at home, placed in a pre-trial detention center and charged under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (Organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order). He was tried and sentenced to 2 and a half years of imprisonment.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
Rabochy Rukh
Paheryla Andrei
Repairman of the Ammonia-3 shop of Grodno Azot JSC. He was detained on September 17, 2021. He was held in custody as part of the investigation of a criminal case on “high treason” (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) in the case of “Rabochy Rukh”. Sentenced to 14 years in prison. He has two minor children.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 2
213800, Babrujsk, vulica Sikorskaha 1
REP
Nazarava Alena
Alena is an activist of the REP union.
Will be added soon...
NOW!
Free trade union activists!
The Association «Salidarnast» considers one of the main tasks to be the struggle for the release of our arrested colleagues, recognized as political prisoners. We will fight for their freedom till the end!
Rabochy Rukh
Shelest Siarhei
Operator of the Ammonia-3 shop of JSC Grodno Azot. He was detained as part of the investigation of a criminal case on “high treason” (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) in the case of “Rabochy Rukh”. Sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
BNP
Balonkin Aliaksandr
Aliaksandr, a design engineer of Navapolatsk Naftan and deputy head of the independent trade union of Naftan workers, was detained on August 12, 2023. He is charged with article 361 of the Criminal Code.
Aliaksandr has already been detained before. On September 27, 2021, he was brought to administrative responsibility under Art. 19.11 Code of Administrative Offenses. According to the policemen, Balonkin on his Instagram page "distributed an information product included in the republican list of extremist materials" - the materials of the case included a screenshot of the publication, on which a man stands with a poster "I/we are TUT.BY".
The man did not plead guilty, but Judge Zinaida Balabolova arrested him for 15 days.
Current location of the political prisoner:
SIZO No. 2
210026, Gagarina Street 2, Viciebsk
Rabochy Rukh
Tseranevich Valiantsin
Assistant foreman of the Khimvolokno plant of Grodno Azot OJSC and deputy chairman of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union at Grodno Azot.
Valiantsin was detained on September 20, 2021. He was accused of "high treason" (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) in the case of the "Rabochy Rukh". Sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 1
211440, Navapolack, vulica Techničnaya 8
Rabochy Rukh
Shametska Siarhei
Siarhei, an employee of CJSC "Atlant", is a defendant in the "Rabochy Rukh" case.
He was under criminal investigation for treason against the state (part 1 of article 356 of the Criminal Code), as well as under part 3 of article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (participation in an extremist formation). On November 9th, 2022 the consideration of the "Rabochy Rukh" case, in which ten political prisoners were involved, started in Homel regional court. On February 17th , 2023, Homel regional court passed a verdict - Siarhei was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment under a strengthened regime.
Current location of the political prisoner:
225295 Ivatsevichi, PO Box 20
BKDP
Yarashuk Aliaksandr
Acting member of the Governing Body of the ILO; Vice President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP). On April 19, 2022, searches were carried out in his office and house, and equipment was seized. He was detained and placed in a pre-trial detention center. Charged under several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (342 part 1 and 361 part 3). Sentenced by the Minsk city court to 4 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Prison No. 4
212011, vulica Krupskaya, 99A, Mahilioŭ
SPM
Zharnak Artsiom
A former engineer of the Minsk Automobile plant. He was fired in 2020 due to trade union activities. He managed the primary organization of the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers. He was arrested on November 17, 2021.
He was taken into custody on charges under Part 3 of Art. 293 and Art. 361 of the Criminal Code for training rioters and calling for restrictive measures.
In October, 2022 he was tried and sentenced to four years of imprisonment in the penal colony.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 1
211440, Navapolack, vulica Techničnaya 8
Rabochy Rukh
Zhurauka Uladzimir
Operator of the Ammonia-3 shop of JSC "Grodno Azot". He was detained on September 18, 2021. Convicted in the framework of a criminal case on "high treason" (Article 356 of the Criminal Code) in the "Rabochy Rukh" case.
Sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 2
213800, Babrujsk, vulica Sikorskaha 1
SPB
Martsinovich Uladzislau
Uladzislau a fourth-year student of the Belarusian State Medical University, was detained on 19 November 2020.
He was charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (group actions that grossly violate public order). On November 15, 2021 the court sentenced Uladzislau to four years in a general regime colony. At the end of January 2022, Vladislau was transferred from SIZO-1 to penal colony No. 15 in Mahiliou.
He was put on the list of persons involved in extremist activities.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
BNP
Senik Maksim
Maxim is a member of the Grodno Azot Independent Trade Union and was detained in Grodno for taking part in protests in 2020 and for reposting on social media.
He faces charges under Article 342 of the Criminal Code - Organising and preparing acts grossly violating public order, or actively participating in them.
On June 12, 2023 the Grodno Regional Court sentenced him to four years' imprisonment in a medium security penal colony.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Prison No. 1
230023, Hrodna, vulica Kirava, 1.
MTZ
Puchak Dzianis
Dzianis Puchak, a former MTZ employee, was detained on November 22, 2022. He was charged under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (Active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order). He was placed in SIZO-1. The case of the political prisoner was considered in the court of the Partizansky district of Minsk. On February 28, 2023, the court found Denis guilty and sentenced him to two and a half years of restriction of freedom without being sent to a correctional institution. He was released from custody in the courtroom.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
REP
Artsiom Parkhamovich
Artem Parkhamovich, a former employee of Beltelecom and a member of the REP trade union, was detained in October 2020.
He was placed in a pre-trial detention center and charged with transferring personal data of policemen to the telegram channel.
On November 25, 2021, the trial began, which was held behind closed doors, and at which it became known that Artyom was charged with a total of eight articles of the Criminal Code: 130, 198, 203-1, 352, 364, 365, 366, 389 (complicity in deliberate actions aimed at inciting other social enmity and discord on the basis of a different social belonging, committed by a group of persons, etc.). On February 8, 2022, the Minsk City Court sentenced Artyom to 11 years in a high security penal colony.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 17
213004, Škloŭ, vulica 1-ja Zavodskaja 8
BNP
Kasila Aleh
Aleh Kosilo, leading engineer of Krasnaselskstroymaterialy, is charged under two articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus - Article 188 and Article 341. The defendant refused to be defended by a lawyer. He defended his rights in court himself. To On the merits he was sentenced to 2 years and 2 months of restriction of liberty without sending him to an open prison.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Restricted freedom under home confinement ("domashnyaya khimiya")
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REP
Murauyou Aliaksandr
Aliaksandr, a taxi driver and an activist of the REP union, was detained on May 25, 2021 in connection with the "Busly liatiat" initiative.
At the end of September 2022, the judge of the Minsk City Court, Anastasia Papko, announced the verdicts in the case of the "Busly liatiat" initiative, sentencing Aliaksandr Murauyou to 12 years in a prison under the enhanced regime under articles 361, 218, 361-1, 130, 290-4, 359 of the Criminal Code.
The "Busly liatiat" case was considered behind closed doors for several months. Prosecutor Yulia Lanevskaya spoke on behalf of the state prosecution in the case.
Aliaksandr has a small child.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Prison No. 4
212011, vulica Krupskaya, 99A, Mahilioŭ
SPM
Shulgat Andrei
Andrei is a former MTZ employee. He was detained on September 29, 2021 for comments on social networks about the death of Andrei Zeltser and a KGB officer. A criminal case was opened against Andrei under Part 1 of Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (Incitement of hatred) and Art. 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of authority).
On January 31, 2023, the KGB added the political prisoner to the list of "persons involved in terrorist activities."
Current location of the political prisoner:
Will be updated soon...
SPM
Batura Yauhen
Yauhen, a former MTZ worker, was detained on June 29, 2022 in Minsk after a search of his apartment. He was detained for participation in a protest action in 2020. Yauhen was charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (Group Acts Grossly Disrupting Public Order).
The political prisoner was sentenced to two years of restriction of liberty with placement in a penitentiary facility.
He was put on the list of persons involved in extremist activities.
Current location of the political prisoner:
Open correctional facility No. 43
212029, Pushkin Avenue 65, Mahilioŭ
BNP
Zabiran Aliaksei
Aliaksei, an employee at JSC Grodno Azot, was detained on 4 November 2021 in the framework of the criminal case under Art 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities), as well as Art 368 (insulting Lukashenka) and Art 130 (inciting hatred or discord). On June 23, 2022 the Grodno Regional Court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment in a minimum security penal colony, as well as 1000 rubles as a payment to the victim and a fine of 1600 rubles. He was put on the lists of "persons involved in extremist activities" and of "persons involved in terrorist activities."
Current location of the political prisoner:
Penal colony No. 15
213105, Mahilioŭ, Viejna, Slaŭharadskaja šaša 183
NOW!
Free trade union activists!
The Association «Salidarnast» considers one of the main tasks to be the struggle for the release of our arrested colleagues, recognized as political prisoners. We will fight for their freedom till the end!