As of 15 May 2025, at least 152 cultural figures, including 35 writers, were not free – imprisoned or in home confinement.
A criminal case has been in progress against civic activist Nina Bahinskaja. The trial will begin on 30 May in Minsk’s Pieršamajski District Court.
The administrator of the Belarusian Wikipedia, Volha Sitnik (username Homelka), received 10 days of administrative arrest.
Political prisoner and prison literature author Ihar Alinievič, convicted for 20 years, was placed in punitive confinement in Žodzina prison.
The Ministry of Information added Siarhiej Michałok’s Brutto band’s YouTube channel to its “extremist materials” list.
An informational plaque disappeared from the memorial stone dedicated to the leader of the 1794 uprising, Tadevuš Kaściuška (Tadeusz Kościuszko).
I. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers
On 6 May, reports appeared that a criminal case had been opened against 78-year-old civic activist Nina Bahinskaja under Article 342-2 of the Criminal Code (repeated violation of the procedure for organising or holding mass events) for displaying national symbols on the streets of Minsk in 2024. During the investigation, police took Nina Bahinskaja for a psychiatric evaluation. The trial is scheduled to begin on 30 May in Minsk’s Pieršamajski District Court.
II. Administrative persecution
On 15 May, it was reported that Volha Sitnik, administrator of the Belarusian Wikipedia (username Homelka), was sentenced to 10 days of administrative arrest. Volha Sitnik lives in Minsk, has three underage children, and has been contributing to Wikipedia since 2009, writing articles about Belarusian traditional culture and nature. She was first detained on 17 April 2025.
III. Conditions in the places of incarceration
On 6 May, it was reported that Ihar Alinievič, a political prisoner and author of prison literature sentenced to 20 years, was placed in a punishment isolation cell in the Žodzina prison for a month. Alinievič is the author of the book On the Way to Magadan, for which he became the first laureate of the Francišak Alachnovič Award, founded jointly by PEN Belarus and Radio Svaboda, given for the best work written in prison. The book was translated into Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, English, German, Spanish, Czech, French, Polish, and Greek.
IV. Repressions in the music sphere
1. On 5 May, the Ministry of Information added Siarhiej Michałok’s Brutto band’s YouTube channel to its “extremist materials” list.
2. On 12 May, Homiel District Court designated the Łukašesku song as “extremist”.
V. Persecution of cultural figures in exile
On 12 May, it was reported that in Minsk, KGB agents sealed the apartment of photojournalist Hienadź Vieracinski, who left Belarus in 2023 due to politically motivated persecution.
VI. Destruction of memorial sites
On 11 May, reports appeared that an informational plaque had disappeared from the memorial stone dedicated to the leader of the 1794 uprising, Tadevuš Kaściuška (Tadeusz Kościuszko), near the village of Kasciuškava, Horki district, Mahiloŭ region.