In April 2023, Belarusian human rights defenders recognized the following women as political prisoners: Tatsiana Kurylina, Irena Klevets, Volha Salamenik, Alina Horava, Halina Smirnova, Darya Iksanava, Volha Alianiuk, and Tamara Karavai. 

According to the Viasna Human Rights Center, in March 2023, Belarus saw at least 624 cases of politically motivated detentions and 433 cases of administrative prosecution. At least 166 of them resulted in administrative arrests and 36 resulted in fines. Persecution for anti-war actions and statements in support of Ukraine continued.  

It was reported that back in December 2022, a 19-year-old student of the Minsk State Linguistic University was sentenced to 1.5 years of restricted freedom for “slander” against Lukashenka. In March 2022, Ms. Yemielianchanka (first name unknown to human rights organizations) distributed a brochure telling the truth about Lukashenka. Witnesses reported this to the police, and the girl was identified through surveillance cameras. 

Andzelika Borys, the chairwoman of the Union of Poles in Belarus, was released from house arrest. She was issued a document stating the charges were dropped due to the “lack of evidence.” Earlier, Ms. Borys was a defendant in a case related to “inciting hatred” and “rehabilitating Nazism.” 

The police detained Aksana Ulanovich, a Ph.D. lecturer at the Belarusian State University. She is said to have previously shared information with a Telegram channel recognized as extremist by the regime in Belarus. 

It was reported that back on October 26, 2022, the court in Minsk sentenced Volha Salamenik to 7.5 years of imprisonment. Ms. Salamenik was convicted of “high treason” and “illegal actions with firearms, ammunition, and explosives.” 

Editor of the state media holding Belteleradiocompany Katsiaryna Brouka was sentenced to three years of home confinement for participation in peaceful protests in 2020. The prosecution used photos stored on Ms. Brouka’s computer as evidence. 

Larysa Kuchynskaya was detained following the attack on the Russian military aircraft at the airfield in the village Machulishchy outside Minsk. She was found guilty in a terrorism case because she rented out her apartment to the man accused of the attack. Larysa did not know the suspect personally and had nothing to do with the attack. 

Volha Tserakh and Katsiaryna Zaretskaya were sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for hanging up Ukrainian and national Belarusian flags on the facade of a building in Minsk. 

Political prisoner Viktoryia Kulsha was convicted for the third time in a new criminal case. Previously, Ms. Kulsha had been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for administrating the anti-regime Telegram channel “Drivers 97%.” Later, she was convicted of “malicious disobedience to the lawful demands of the administration of a correctional facility” and sentenced to an additional year of imprisonment. Now she was sentenced to another year of imprisonment for “disobedience” on top of that, totaling four and a half years of imprisonment. 
 
In Vitsebsk, the police have been visiting the homes of Belarusian women who have been detained on political grounds, threatening to check on them every month. This was the case of Tamara Illina. The woman had previously been detained for allegedly “illegal picketing” in a forest together with other seniors. The police have kept their file on Ms. Illina even though the term of limitation the “offense” has expired. 

Anita Bakunovich was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for attempting to illegally cross the border between Belarus and Lithuania. Earlier, Ms. Bakunovich had been sentenced to 2 years of home confinement for participation in peaceful protests in 2020. While trying to evacuate from Belarus, the girl was detained and convicted of “participation in an extremist formation” and “attempted illegal border crossing”. 

Anastasiya Padhayskaya, a 31-year-old resident of Baranavichy, was sentenced to three years of home confinement for “posting information about the military situation in Russia and Belarus in Telegram channels”. 

Director of the Center for Slavic Languages and Cultures “Slavcentar,” Iryna Zimneva, was detained and fined for storing images depicting the national white-red-white colors and a drawing with the inscription “Defeat the evil with kindness”. After she was fined, the police searched all the offices of “Slavcentar,” detained Ms. Zimneva’s husband, and sentenced him to 14 days of administrative arrest. The Zimnevs have two minor daughters. “Slavcenter” offers Polish language courses and consultations on obtaining a Pole card and enrollment in Polish universities. 

Architect Valeryia Sokal was convicted of participation in peaceful protests in 2020. The court sentenced her to home confinement for 2.5 years. 

Tamara Karavai was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of “slander” against Aliaksandr Lukashenka. The reason was her comments on the Odnoklassniki social network.  
 
Alesia Shmeleva was detained for the distribution of “extremist” materials. She followed channels in Telegram recognized by the regime as extremist, as well as shared information from them with her friends. 

The administration of the women’s prison in Homiel has intensified pressure on political prisoners. Some women have been banned from attending the prison church. The administration seeks to recognize the majority of political prisoners as “persistent violators of the order”. Some of them have not been receiving letters even from close relatives. The authorities also exert pressure on those who have served their entire sentences. Law enforcers often visit former political prisoners at home, check their phones, and conduct searches. 
 
Three criminal cases have been initiated against Victoriya Haurylina. She is accused of evading taxes, following “extremist” channels, “leaking” the personal data of the regime’s law enforcers and financing extremist activities. 
 
Karyna Marchuk was detained for reposting a publication from the Belsat TV channel (recognized as extremist in Belarus). 

Iryna Lesnichenka stood trial on charges of distribution of extremist materials. The verdict has not been reported in the media, but she has filed an appeal. Ms. Lesnichenka is an outstanding teacher of Belarusian language and literature, who has taught numerous winners of the National Belarusian Language Olympiad.  
 
Vera Mamoika was sentenced to 2.5 years of home confinement for participation in peaceful protests in 2020. The prosecution used photos of Ms. Mamoika from the peaceful protest rallies as evidence. 

Inna Khadarenka was detained at her workplace. She is accused of unauthorized picketing. 
 
Ministry of Justice revoked lawyer Inesa Alenskaya’s bar license because of “insufficient qualification.” Ms. Alenskaya used to defend renowned political prisoners. 

Liubou Sarlai was fined 30 base values (around 300 euros) for allegedly distributing extremist materials. 

Dzina Zialenka was arrested for comments on social media. 

Hanna Kavaliova was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for participation in the 2020 protests. 
 
Belarusians who have served arrest in the infamous detention center on Akrestsina Street in Minsk continue to share information about the people with whom they shared a cell. Thus, a Belarusian woman who served 15 days of administrative arrest has told about her cellmate, who was sentenced to 20 days of arrest for sending her daughter a Belarusian folk song, Kupalinka, via a messenger. It should be noted that the song has not been recognized as “extremist”. 
 
Activist Alena Hnauk, imprisoned on politically motivated charges, was sentenced to another year in prison. This was the third criminal case brought against Ms. Hnauk. She has to spend in prison another two years and 11 months. 

Activist Valiantsina Bolbat, who has been detained multiple times after 2020, was detained again. She was hospitalized after the detention.