In the fall, the regime started a crackdown on media personalities. In October, popular blogger Anna Bond was sentenced to 15 days of arrest, while in November, famous singer Larysa Hrybaliova was detained. Ms. Hrybaliova was released later but was unofficially banned from performing in Belarus along with 80 other artists. The singer spoke out against police brutality in 2020. 

Resident of Babruisk Danuta Dziachenka was fined after laying flowers and lighting candles near a local monument to the victims of political repressions. After her detention, she was taken home for a search, and some of her belongings were confiscated. The court imposed a fine of 20 base values (about 200 euros) on Ms. Dziachenka for “unauthorized picketing”. 

In Minsk, a pregnant woman was fined for “picketing” after she was seen with an umbrella in the colors of the national flag, a symbol of Belarusian protests. The court stated that the woman used the white-red-white umbrella to “publicly express her civic and political sentiments”. The woman pleaded guilty to an extent, stating that she only hid from the rain but was aware that the color of the umbrella could be perceived as a political message. Since she has two children and is pregnant with a third, she was fined 50 base values (about 530 euros) instead of administrative arrest. 
 
Political prisoner Hanna Volkava was sentenced to three years in prison under several articles of the Criminal Code for her participation in protests in Belarus in 2020. Ms. Volkava had been detained when she came to her child’s school to talk with a teacher. 

Maryna Vasilionak was detained along with her partner. The regime accused them of “exchanging extremist materials in their chats”. 

Medical professional Valiantsina Zaleskaya from Novalukoml was fined 1,110 Belarusian rubles (about 320 euros) for “sharing extremist publications in a social network”. 

In Baranavichy, entrepreneur Volha Kazlouskaya was convicted of “insulting Lukashenka” on social media. She was sentenced to six months in prison.  

Many Belarusian women lose their jobs after detention, while a history of persecution also makes it hard for them to find a new job. Kobryn State College of Service Sector refused to renew Vera Andryiuk’s contract after she had worked there for 8 years. According to the human rights defenders, the management took this step after an order from the local authorities.  

Political prisoner Alena Dzmitryieva was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom under home confinement for her participation in protests in Belarus in 2020. 

Nadzeya Yanushkevich and her husband were sentenced to two and a half years of restricted freedom under home confinement each for their participation in protests in Belarus in 2020. 

The Ministry of Justice in Belarus disbarred lawyers Yuliya Karachun and Aksana Puchkouskaya due to “actions discrediting the title of a lawyer and the legal profession”.