In September 2022, the regime continued persecuting activists and journalists. Also, the “institute of special proceedings” was introduced, which will allow for criminal cases and trials in absentia against those outside of Belarus.

The Investigative Committee named those who are planned to be tried in absentia. They include Yanina Sazanovich, Volha Vysotskaya, and Valeria Zanimonskaya. The Committee claims the women were administrators of the Black Book of Belarus Telegram channel, which published personal data of security officials and civil servants involved in repression against Belarusians.

In September, human rights defenders recognized the following women as political prisoners: Anastasiya Hunko, Natallia Karneeva, Alena Latushka, Alena Malkevich, Sviatlana Sakovich, Hanna Volskaya, and Volha Mankevich.

In Navapolatsk, Hanna Tukova held an anti-war picket during a school event. During the performance of children in military uniform with guns she stood in front of them and showed the Victory sign. Tukova was detained, and even though she had an underage daughter, she was kept in jail for more than a week. First, she was fined for picketing, and a few days later for following “extremist” channels. When Tukova was released, she was convicted a third time for “picketing on her Instagram page” (posting the Ukrainian flag). The total amount of fines was almost 3,000 euros.

Political prisoner Darya Chultsova was released. On November 15, 2021, she was the videographer of the Belsat stream from the rally held in Minsk following the death of Raman Bandarenka. She was sentenced to two years in jail over that. Katsiaryna Andreyeva, who was the host during the stream, was also supposed to be released but was sentenced to eight more years in prison on new charges.

Iryna Leushyna, editor-in-chief of BelaPAN new agency, remains in custody. She was detained on December 18, 2021, and accused of creating an extremist formation. The trial only began on June 6, 2022, with no verdict yet handed down in September.

Volha Halubovich was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on charges of “attempted seizure of power”. She and other defendants in the case were accused of an attempted coup d’etat. Volha has been in jail since the spring of 2021.

Human rights activist Marfa Rabkova was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Marfa is the coordinator of the volunteer service of the Viasna Human Rights Center. She was tried under ten articles of the Criminal Code. Marfa had been detained in September 2020. Since then, her health condition has strongly deteriorated.

Human rights defender Nasta Loika was detained after the trial of Marfa Rabkova and other political prisoners. Nasta was arrested for 15 days over “petty hooliganism” and another 15 days just before the supposed release.

Political prisoner Safiya Malashevich was released, having served her sentence in full. She was detained on September 6, 2020, at the March of Unity, where she spray-painted drawings on the shields of law enforcement officers.

Maryna Sankevich was sentenced to 7 years in prison, charged with four articles of the Criminal Code. Maryna was detained over her comments on Telegram channels.

BELTA journalist Ina Mazhchenka was sentenced to three years in jail and fined about EUR 1,300. The reason for her detention was a comment, which was assessed as an insult to a representative of the authorities. The KGB put her on the list of “individuals involved in terrorist activities.”

Yana Pinchuk, who was previously extradited from Russia, is charged under five articles of the Criminal Code. She faces up to 19 years in prison over messages on the Vitebsk 97% Telegram channel.

Alena Lazarchyk, a European Belarus activist, was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment under four articles of the Criminal Code. She was also put on the KGB’s “list of terrorists”.

Political prisoner Anita Bakunovich, 19, was detained when “​​illegally crossing the state border of Belarus”. Previously, at the end of June, Anita was sentenced to two years of home confinement over participation in protests.

Singer Meryem Herasimenka, who was detained in early August for performing a song of the Okean Elzy band in the Ukrainian language in Minsk, was not released after 30 days in jail, which suggests she may be facing criminal charges.

Political prisoner Kseniya Lutskina was sentenced to 8 years in prison on charges of “conspiracy or other actions committed to seize the power”. Kseniya has been in prison since December 2020.

In September 2022 Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.