As of 31 October 2025, at least 154 cultural figures, including 33 writers, were not free \u2013 either imprisoned or in home confinement.<\/b><\/p>\n
Belarusian-language DJ from M\u015bcis\u0142a\u016d <\/span>Anatol Volski<\/b> was convicted for \u201cfacilitating extremist activity\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Historian and tour guide <\/span>Anton Arciuch <\/b>was convicted for \u201cfacilitating extremist activity\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Comedian <\/span>Vasil Kra\u016d\u010duk<\/b> from Pinsk, detained in St. Petersburg, was extradited to Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n Video operator <\/span>Via\u010das\u0142a\u016d \u0141azara\u016d<\/b> reported that the administration of Penal Colony No. 15 imposes additional punishments for using the Belarusian language.<\/span><\/p>\n Information published on the Telegram channel<\/span> \u201cL\u0456tarka\u201d<\/b> was designated as \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The YouTube channel<\/span> \u201cBud\u017ama Dzieciam\u201d<\/b> (Let\u2019s Be for Children), featuring Belarusian-language fairy tales, was also labelled as \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Police interrogated the relatives of journalist, cultural blogger, poet, and songwriter <\/span>Valer Rusielik<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b>1.<\/strong> On 17 October, it became known that <\/span>Anatol Volski<\/b>, a Belarusian-language DJ from <\/span>M\u015bcis\u0142a\u016d<\/span>, was convicted under Article 361-4 (Parts 1 and 2) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity), reportedly within the framework of the <\/span>Belaruski Hajun<\/span><\/i> case. Volski, a musician and local cultural organiser, managed the district\u2019s centralised club system, organised festivals and discos. It is not known precisely what sentence he received \u2013 restricted freedom in an open-type institution or imprisonment in a penal colony.<\/span> Belaruski Hajun<\/span><\/i> is an independent monitoring project that tracked the movement of Russian troops and military equipment across Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b>2.<\/strong> On 18 October, information emerged that historian and tour guide <\/span>Anton Arciuch<\/b> was also convicted under Article 361-4 (Parts 1 and 2) (facilitating extremist activity), likewise believed to be within the <\/span>Belaruski Hajun<\/span><\/i> case. The exact nature of his sentence \u2013 <\/span>restricted freedom<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>imprisonment<\/span><\/i> \u2013 remains unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b>3.<\/strong> On 30 October, it was reported that <\/span>Vasil Kra\u016d\u010duk<\/b>, 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 Kra\u016d\u010duk 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 <\/span>\u201cKarateli Belarusi\u201d (Punishers of Belarus)<\/span><\/i> regarding an employee of the juvenile inspection service. Three months after sentencing, Kra\u016d\u010duk 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Video operator and former political prisoner <\/span>Via\u010das\u0142a\u016d \u0141azara\u016d<\/b> described how the administration of Correctional Colony No. 15 imposes additional punishment for using the Belarusian language: <\/span>\u201cWhen 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.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI<\/b>. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers<\/b><\/h5>\n
\u0406\u0406. Persecution for using the Belarusian language in places of incarceration<\/b><\/h5>\n
III. Repression against cultural and educational initiatives<\/b><\/h5>\n