Digest of the released: 52 political prisoners were released in September, 45 of them after the expiration of the term

At the moment, there are 1,476 political prisoners in Belarus, and their number is increasing weekly. At the same time, every month several dozen political prisoners leave their places of detention either after the expiration of the term, or after the trial before being sent to an open-type correctional institution or at the beginning of their home confinement. According to Viasna, at least 52 political prisoners were released in September: 45 people served their sentences in full, 12 of whom were women, and seven people were sentenced to home confinement and released from jail. Viasna recounts their cases and terms in the monthly digest. 

45 political prisoners have served their sentences in full and have been released

We publish the stories of some of them.

Political prisoner Stsiapan Talkachou — 1 year, 11 months, and 7 days in prison 

Stsiapan was detained on September 29, 2021, the day after a shootout with security forces took place in the apartment of IT specialist Andrei Zeltser in Minsk, as a result of which both Zeltser himself and KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk were killed. He was charged under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (inciting social hatred or enmity). During the trial Stsiapan did not admit his guilt

On August 26, 2022, the Brest Regional Court found Talkachou guilty and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison. The political prisoner served his term in the Babrujsk colony No. 2.

Prisoner Illia Palkhouski — 2 years and 24 days in prison

The man was convicted in the Brest "round dance case", initiated on the events of September 13, 2020, when protesters took to the roadway and were dispersed by a water cannon. In the Court of the Moscow District of Brest on May 7, 2021, the political prisoner was sentenced to 2 years of arrest in an open-type correctional facility under Article 342 of the Criminal Code.

After the verdict, Illia tried to escape from Belarus, but was detained near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. After 15 days of arrest, he was placed in a pre-trial detention center, and then transferred to an open-type correctional facility.

Political prisoners Sviatlana and Yana Khromava — 1 year, 11 months, and 8 days in custody 

Political prisoners Sviatlana and Yana Khromava, mother and daughter, were convicted in the Leninski District Court of Minsk on April 12. Judge Maryna Klimchuk found them guilty under Part 1 of Article 342 (active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order) and announced the sentence: two years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony each. It is known that they were accused of participating in three protest marches.

Recall that Sviatlana Khromova, deputy director of Gymnasium No. 42 in Minsk, was detained together with her daughter Yana on December 22, 2021.

Political prisoner Aliaksandr Yunitski — 2 years and 22 days in prison

A resident of Svetlahorsk was accused under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (Insulting a representative of the authorities) for writing an "insulting" comment on Odnoklassniki social media page under the post stating that a traffic police inspector major Andrei Bahrayonak, participated in the dispersal of peaceful assemblies and fined protesters for giving sound signals of solidarity. 

Since August 21, 2021, he has been serving time in an open-type correctional facility. On September 11, 2023, it became known that Aliaksandr was released, having fully served his sentence.

Political prisoner Aliaksandr Hladkikh — 1 year, 5 months, and 28 days in prison 

Aliaksandr was sentenced to 2 years of home confinement for insulting a traffic police officer under Article 369 of the Criminal Code. The court also ordered him to pay 1,500 rubles of compensation for "moral suffering" to Volnich.

According to the case file, the man left a comment on the Odnoklassniki social media page under a post by an activist Volha Karach with a video, which shows how an employee of the automobile inspection of the Hantsevichy district police departmentIhar Volnich put his foot on the neck of a participant of a peaceful assembly of citizens who disagreed with the policy of the authorities.

Political prisoner Katsiaryna Batura — 1 year, 1 month, and 15 days in prison 

34-year-old Katsiaryna was convicted for posting a video message on Vkontakte social media page where she allegedly insulted Lukashenka under Article 368 of the Criminal Code. The court sentenced her to 1 year and 6 months of restriction of freedom with a referral to an open-type correctional institution.

Political prisoner Viktar Fenchuk — approximately 2 years and 1 month in prison

Viktar is a professional ornithologist, program coordinator of the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Akhova Ptushak Batskaushchyny. He headed the latter from 2007 to 2014 and then was its employee.

The political prisoner was sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code (active participation in actions grossly violating public order). According to the case file, "he blocked traffic on the roadway and shouted various slogans. The investigation revealed five more similar episodes committed by him."

Political prisoner Ihar Povarau — 2 years, 9 months, and 19 days in prison

Ihar is a former employee of Belarusian Steel Works in Zhlobin and a strike activist. On August 17, 2020, in protest against election fraud and violence against peaceful protesters, Ihar, along with Aliaksandr Babrou and Yauhen Govar, blocked the road for technological transport at the plant. A criminal case was initiated under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code. The court sentenced all three of them to imprisonment for a period of three years in a general security colony. On September 16, Babrou and Hovar were pardoned by Lukashenka's decree.

Political prisoner Larysa Berazhnova — 1 year, 11 months, and 22 days in prison

Larysa was detained on September 29, 2021 as part of the Zeltser case for comments after the deaths of KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk and IT specialist Andrei Zeltser. At the beginning of August 2022, Larysa's case was considered in the Minsk City Court. Judge Alena Shylko sentenced her to 2 years and 6 months of general security prison and also imposed a fine of 7 400 roubles.

Political prisoner Pavel Rakotsa — 1 year, 2 months, and 9 days in prison  

Pavel is a resident of Homel; he studied at the Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. Pavel is an active quiz player. With the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the man actively spoke out against the war on his VKontakte social media page. Later, his page was blocked by the decision of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation.

Judge Anatol Sotnikau sentenced Pavel to 1 year and 6 months of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.

Seven political prisoners were released after the trial

In September, the Belarusian courts in the absolute majority sentenced political prisoners to imprisonment. Only seven people were released from jail last month after the trial; they were sentenced to home confinement. But these data may be incomplete, since not all the results of the trials of political prisoners are yet known to human rights defenders. These are:

• Pavel Talanau — two years of home confinement;

• Stanislau Sialitski — two and a half years of home confinement;

• Yauhen Hrinkou — two and a half years of home confinement;

• Andrei Kastko — two and a half years of home confinement;

• Hanna Shyrvel — two and a half years of home confinement;

• Hleb Muravitski — three years of home confinement;

• Mikhail Tumchonak — two and a half years of home confinement.