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On 8 April 2021, the detention of woman human rights defender Tanya Hatsura-Yavorska was extended for a further 10 days, while the charges pending against her remain unknown. On 5 April 2021, the woman human rights defender was detained following a search of her office and home, carried out by law enforcement officers on suspicion of “education or other preparation of persons for participation in group actions that grossly violate public order, as well as financing or other material support of such activities” under Part 3, Article 293 of the Criminal Code.

On 19 September 2024, woman human rights defender Ieva Raubiško will appear at the Latgale District Court in Rezekne for the final hearing in her trial. She faces charges of “organising intentional illegal crossing of the state border for a group of people” under Article 20 and Article 284/2 of the Latvian Criminal Code for assisting asylum seekers at the Belarus-Latvia border.

On 14 August 2023, the Belarusian Committee for State Security (KGB) listed the Homiel branch of the Human Rights Centre Viasna (HRC Viasna) as an extremist organisation, and added the Homiel branch’s website and social media accounts to the Republic’s List of Extremist Content. The declaration of the Homiel branch of HRC Viasna and its online content as extremist exposes those who engage with this branch of the human rights organisation to risks of administrative and criminal prosecution.

On 30 June 2021, detained human rights defender Andrei Alexandrov faced additional charges under Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code for “issuance of state secrets of the Republic of Belarus to a foreign state, international or foreign organization or their representatives”. If convicted, the charges carry a possible imprisonment sentence of up to 7 to 15 years. According to his lawyer, the human rights defender was shocked and denies the charge.

On 6 May 2022, woman human rights defender Volha Harbunova was sentenced to 3 years of detention without commitment to a penitentiary institution. The Savetski District Court of Minsk found the woman human rights defender guilty for “preparation of actions which gravely violate public order” under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of Republic of Belarus and sentenced her to 3 years of detention without committing WHRD to a penitentiary institution of any type.

On September 7, 2022, woman human rights defender Nasta Loika was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest, on “petty hooliganism” charges, a violation under Article 19.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The previous day, on 6 September 2022, Belarusian law enforcement officials arrested and detained the defender near the premises of the Minsk City Court.

On 3 September 2021, the first court hearing regarding the case of human rights defenders Leanid Sudalenka, Maryia Tarasenka and Taciana Lasica took place at Centralny District Court in Gomel. The human rights defenders face charges of “organising, financing, training and preparation of actions grossly violating public order and financing such activities” under parts 1 and 2 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, they could face up to three years of imprisonment.

On 18 February 2021, human rights defender Dzmitry Salauyou was sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention for ‘violation of the established procedure for holding a meeting, rally, street procession, demonstration, picketing, other mass event, committed by a participant in such events.’ Two days earlier, the human rights defender was beaten and detained at his house in Kasyn village, close to Minsk.

On 8 September 2020, woman human rights defender Irina Sukhiy was sentenced to five days of administrative detention, for allegedly violating the procedure for holding a protest.