August marked three years since the presidential election in Belarus, the results of which are widely considered falsified. Since the summer of 2020, Belarus has seen at least:

• 3,645 convictions in criminal cases; 
• 46,700 detentions;  
• 7,560 fines;  
• 13,315 arrests. 

162 women and one transgender person remain in prison as of August 2023. 

In August, Belarusian human rights defenders recognized the following women as political prisoners: Tatsiana Biziuk, Anastasiya Pakatashkina, Natallia Zhloba, Iryna Skrob, Yuliya Dzenisevich, Hanna Shyrvel, Ivanna Bahovik, Alena Yafremenka, and Yuliya Kolas. 

In August, the following women were sentenced to two and a half years of restricted freedom under home confinement: Safiya Bahavets, Natallia Fokina, Aksana Yasiuchenya, Alena Chabatar, and Zhana Siadletskaya. Anastasiya Peryanovich, Alesia Sushko, and Katerina Tsivnel were all sentenced to three and a half years. Most of those convicted were identified in photos and videos from the protest rallies. 

Iryna Skrob was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for “promoting extremist activities”. 

The owner of the popular bar “Perasmeshnik” in Minsk was detained along with her husband. The regime’s propaganda released a video showing photos of her in her underwear, as well as her personal chats. The security forces also emphasized the bar’s “LGBTQ+ friendly” label used in its social media and the fact that it is owned by a woman.  
 
A number of women in Belarus were detained in August for having a sticker with the image of the national Belarusian emblem “Pahonia” (recognized by the regime as extremist) and a motorcycle helmet with adhesive tape glued on it, reportedly in the white-red-white color combination associated with protests. 

Tatsiana Biziuk, 21, was sentenced to three years in prison for “promoting extremist activities”. 

Singer Patrycyia Svitsina was sentenced to two and a half years of restricted freedom under home confinement for participating in peaceful protests in 2020 in Minsk. Ms. Svitsina is a Belarusian singer who refused from receiving scholarship from Lukashenka’s Talented Youth Support Fund. 

Larysa Nestsiaruk, 44, was detained in the town of Ivanava after she sang along to the song “Ukrayina Ponad Use!”. The regime’s security forces made her confess and sing the official Belarusian anthem, which the woman did not know in full. In the video, Ms. Nestsiaruk was told to learn the lyrics of the anthem, after which she was arrested and sent to a pre-trial detention center. 

Zhanna Kazlouskaya was detained for signing up for the Peramoha Plan chatbot, which was launched in 2021 by the democratic forces of Belarus for coordinating underground resistance. 

The security forces in Svetlahorsk detained Yuliya Dauletava, editor of the Ranak media outlet. She was released after a forced confession video was recorded. Ranak was later recognized as an extremist formation. It was the first media publication to write about the explosion that killed several people at a pulp mill in Svetlahorsk, Homiel region.  
 
Sviatlana Matalyhina, a mother of three minor children, was fined for following information resources recognized as “extremist”. 

Political prisoner Liudmila Ramanovich was released after serving in full her politically motivated sentence. Ms. Ramanovich had been convicted of “insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus” and sentenced to one and a half years in prison. 

Alisa Ramanava was released from prison where she had served a year of imprisonment under a politically motivated sentence. 

Volha Matsko was sentenced to three months for insulting Lukashenka by sharing an image on the Odnoklassniki social network, which the court considered offensive. 

At least four women were reported in August to have been fined an equivalent of 320 euros for “reposting extremist materials” and “picketing on social networks”. They were the mother of several children Volha Kubarskaya; mother of three children and employee of the Talochyn Forestry Administration Victoryia Kazun; as well as Inha Tylchyk and Ala Hrudnitskaya. 

Alena Drabudzka, the head of a Belarusian State Economic University dormitory, was detained over her involvement in “campaigns against the authorities”.  

Alena Dzmitryeva was detained upon her return from Poland. Border guards decided to inspect Ms. Dzmitryeva after learning that she was born in Ukraine. She was later sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest for reposting “extremist” materials, after which a criminal case was initiated against her for participating in peaceful protests in 2020. 

The security forces detained Inna Kalatskaya. Ms. Kalatskaya is the mother of released Belarusian political prisoner Tsikhan Kliukach, who is currently a volunteer fighter in Ukraine. Ms. Kalatskaya was fined and charged with a criminal offense for her “involvement in extremism”.  

Political prisoner Natallia Piatrovich, 68, was sentenced to 6 years in prison for her comments on social media. They were considered to be insulting Lukashenka and inciting hostility. Ms. Piatrovich was also charged with the “creation of an extremist formation or participation in it”. 

63-year-old Yanina Panasevich was sentenced to 4 years in prison on four criminal counts related to “insulting and slandering Lukashenka”. 

Nina Barysava, an employee of the Naftan Oil Refinery in Vitsebsk region, was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest for reposting “extremist” materials. 

Hanna Skryhan was sentenced to two years in prison for “inciting hostility”. 

Volha Rudakova was sentenced to 30 days for “sharing extremist materials”.  
 
Alena Zubrova was arrested for 20 days for her picture against the background of the Ukrainian flag and reposts of “extremist materials”.  
 
Journalist Larysa Shchyrakova was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for “discrediting Belarus” and “promoting extremist activities”.