As of 31 October 2025, at least 154 cultural figures, including 33 writers, were not free – either imprisoned or in home confinement.
Belarusian-language DJ from Mścisłaŭ Anatol Volski was convicted for “facilitating extremist activity”.
Historian and tour guide Anton Arciuch was convicted for “facilitating extremist activity”.
Comedian Vasil Kraŭčuk from Pinsk, detained in St. Petersburg, was extradited to Belarus.
Video operator Viačasłaŭ Łazaraŭ reported that the administration of Penal Colony No. 15 imposes additional punishments for using the Belarusian language.
Information published on the Telegram channel “Lіtarka” was designated as “extremist materials”.
The YouTube channel “Budźma Dzieciam” (Let’s Be for Children), featuring Belarusian-language fairy tales, was also labelled as “extremist materials”.
Police interrogated the relatives of journalist, cultural blogger, poet, and songwriter Valer Rusielik.
I. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers
1. On 17 October, it became known that Anatol Volski, a Belarusian-language DJ from Mścisłaŭ, was convicted under Article 361-4 (Parts 1 and 2) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity), reportedly within the framework of the Belaruski Hajun case. Volski, a musician and local cultural organiser, managed the district’s centralised club system, organised festivals and discos. It is not known precisely what sentence he received – restricted freedom in an open-type institution or imprisonment in a penal colony. Belaruski Hajun is an independent monitoring project that tracked the movement of Russian troops and military equipment across Belarus.
2. On 18 October, information emerged that historian and tour guide Anton Arciuch was also convicted under Article 361-4 (Parts 1 and 2) (facilitating extremist activity), likewise believed to be within the Belaruski Hajun case. The exact nature of his sentence – restricted freedom or imprisonment – remains unknown.
3. On 30 October, it was reported that Vasil Kraŭčuk, a comedian from Pinsk detained earlier in St. Petersburg, had been extradited to Belarus, where he is being held in a pre-trial detention centre. On 7 February 2022, the Pinsk District Court sentenced Kraŭčuk to two years in home confinement under Article 369 of the Criminal Code (insulting a government official). The case stemmed from a comment he posted in the Telegram channel “Karateli Belarusi” (Punishers of Belarus) regarding an employee of the juvenile inspection service. Three months after sentencing, Kraŭčuk ceased all contact and was declared a wanted person. On 17 December 2024, the Pinsk District Court decided to replace his previous sentence of restricted freedom without confinement in an open-type correctional institution.
ІІ. Persecution for using the Belarusian language in places of incarceration
Video operator and former political prisoner Viačasłaŭ Łazaraŭ described how the administration of Correctional Colony No. 15 imposes additional punishment for using the Belarusian language: “When I was brought to the head of the colony, I started speaking Belarusian, but I was thrown out. This happened five times in a row.”
III. Repression against cultural and educational initiatives
1. On 20 October, the Miory District Court of the Viciebsk Region ruled that information published on the Telegram channel of the first Belarusian online bookstore in the United States, “Litarka” (https://litarka.com), was designated as “extremist materials”.
2. On 29 October, the Pružany District Court labelled as “extremist materials” the YouTube channel “Budźma Dzieciam” (Let’s Be for Children), which hosted five episodes of a Belarusian-language puppet video series titled The Adventures of the Little Mice.
The “extremist list” was also expanded to include the cultural and educational TikTok page “Budzma_razam,” the social media community “Budźma Belarusami! (Let’s Be Belarusians!)” on Odnoklassniki, and the “Budzma” donation page on an online fundraising platform.
IV. Persecution of families of cultural figures who have left Belarus
On 22 October, it became known that police officers interrogated the relatives of Valer Rusielik, a journalist, cultural blogger, poet, and songwriter. “They ask about me, about my family. At the same time, they don’t explain the reasons for their visits or questions,” Ruselik wrote on his Facebook page. Valer Ruselik runs the YouTube channel “Daroha”, where he discusses current events in Belarus and publishes animations and songs. He also publishes content on the TikTok channel “Vytok” dedicated to Belarusian culture. In July 2023, his social media pages were designated as “extremist materials”. On 2 August 2023, the “Daroha” project was officially labelled an “extremist formation”.
In March 2024, a politically motivated criminal case was initiated against Valer Rusielik.