At least 2,000 arrested: results of administrative prosecution in 2023
Over the past year, a wave of violent repressions continued throughout Belarus. According to human rights activists of Viasna, in total, in 2023, at least 6,386 people faced political administrative persecution, of which almost 4,500 were eventually convicted in administrative cases. Last year, at least 2,000 people were arrested for several days and experienced inhumane conditions in temporary detention centers across Belarus, where neither mattresses nor hygiene products are given to political prisoners and the latter are not allowed to get care packages. Viasna reports the numbers concerning the administrative prosecution in 2023, and also recalls the strangest and most absurd grounds for administrative trials.
The number of arrests for the past year
According to the human rights center Viasna, at least 6,386 people faced various types of repression last year. Of these, 1,776 are women and 4,566 are men.
But all the figures can be much higher due to the fact that human rights defenders do not get all the information about the repressions due to the intimidation of society.
Map of repressions in Belarus
Human rights activists recorded a greater number of repressions in Minsk and the Minsk region — 1,535 people. The Homieĺ and Hrodna regions are next — 1,345 and 1,023 people.
Administrative prosecution in 2023
According to human rights activists, at least 4,466 trials under "political" articles took place across the country last year. Belarusian courts have imposed at least 1,822 fines totaling 1,524,492 rubles (almost 466 thousand dollars). Judges also ordered at least 2,005 arrests. In total, Belarusians served at least 22,988 days in detention centers (almost 64 years).
In addition, according to Viasna, the courts ordered community service in 22 cases, and 38 cases were dismissed for various reasons.
Inhuman conditions of detention 
For political prisoners, special conditions have been created in temporary detention cells for three and a half years. All this time, people are not given hygiene products, clothes to change, and bed linen. They are not taken to the shower or to the fresh air. In such conditions, some detainees are held for several months in a row.
At the same time, the cells remain crowded all the time. Therefore, people are forced to sleep on the floor, under beds, on benches and even tables. For additional pressure, homeless people are put in the cell. The light are always on, even at night.
Care packages with a change of underwear, hygiene products, and medicines for detainees are not accepted, and the latter sometimes have to beg for soap and toilet paper from the administration for several days.
There is no warm water, and tap water is not safe to drink.
The most absurd accusations in 2023
T-shirt with the logo of the Kalinoŭski Regiment
At the end of April 2023, a local resident was detained in Baranavičy at night in the Vuhli bar. The reason was his T-shirt with the logo of Kastus Kalinoŭski Regiment, which was recognized as "extremist". A report was drawn up against him under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code.
As a result, the court decided to fine the man 740 rubles, as well as confiscate the T-shirt.
Photo on the background of mountains and flags of Georgia and Ukraine
On August 17, the trial of a man who was detained the previous morning took place in the Navapolack Court. He was charged under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code (unauthorized picketing). The reason for the detention was a photo from a vacation in Georgia, which the resident of Navapolack posted on Instagram. On the photo, he stands against the background of mountains and flags of Georgia and Ukraine. At the same time, the photo was published on August 8, 2021, but the police noticed it only two years later.
The resident of Navapolack admitted guilt partially. He explained that to remember his trip to Georgia in 2021, he posted that photo on his page, and it showed the flags of Georgia and Ukraine, but he had no intention to picket. In addition, he noted that "the fact of the publication of a photo depicting the flag of Ukraine and the events taking place in Ukraine is a coincidence."
As a result, judge Zinaida Balabolava found the man guilty of picketing with a Ukrainian flag and sentenced him to 15 days of arrest.
Zerkalo application on the phone
On September 11, a man was convicted in the Biarezinski District Court under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code (distribution of extremist materials). According to the case file, the police found The News of Belarus — Zerkalo.io application in his phone.
At the trial, he admitted guilt and explained that he had purchased the phone a month before the arrest with the application already installed, but had not deleted it.
The court noted that the man kept the prohibited information products specifically for distribution, which is confirmed, among other things, by the fact that "he provided a police officer with access to extremist materials, thereby distributing these products."
The result of the trial was a 15-day arrest.
Composing and "distributing" "extremist" songs
In early May, the trial of the members of Dieti Khrushchiovok band, including its leader Yan Dvorak, took place in Homeĺ. He was accused of composing and storing for distribution the songs 2020, Cockroach (demo), Papitsot, which since April 11 have been recognized as "extremist" by the Court of the Central District of Homieĺ.
On May 5, judge Andrei Lahunovich found Yan guilty under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code and arrested him for 10 days. The rest of the musicians were arrested for five and seven days.
"Friend" on VKnotakte with an "extremist" profile picture
At the end of September, the Kastryčnicki District Court of Mahilioŭ considered a case against a local locksmith. He was accused of "spreading extremist materials" under Article 19.11 of the Administrative Code.
So, according to the report, "a man with the help of his open profile posted visual material in the "Friends" section in the form of a text from Belsat posted on the profile picture of a user of VKontakte social media called Belsat Tv."
At the trial, the man confirmed that he knew about the recognition of Belsat as extremist materials, but at the time when he added the account to his friends, there was no "extremist" profile picture. He did not admit his guilt. The result of the trial was a 15-day arrest.
Performance of the national anthem of Ukraine in a karaoke bar
In April, the court of the Maskoŭski District of Brest considered a case against a man who was accused of "unauthorized picketing" under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code. According to the report, the man sang the anthem of Ukraine at night from March 30 to 31, while in a local karaoke bar, "thus publicly expressing his social and political interests." He did not admit his guilt and explained that he did it to spite the man who asked not to sing Ukrainian songs.
It is known that the disgruntled man is a citizen of the Russian Federation. According to his testimony, the Brest resident asked him to leave Belarus and sang the anthem of Ukraine without a microphone, despite numerous requests not to do so.
The man was detained only on April 7. He was found guilty of "picketing" and sentenced to seven days of arrest.
Hashtag with the words "Long Live Belarus"
Navapolack judge Zinaida Balabolava considered the case of businessman Dzmitryi Storazhau on October 27. According to the court's report, Storazhau admitted during the trial that in 2021 he posted a photo on his Instagram page with the hashtag "#zhyvebelarus Assemble!". The photo showed him and his friends, and there were no "oppositional" symbols with them.
A police report dated October 26 said that on October 20 this photo was still on Storazhau's page, but three days later it was deleted. The police managed to take a screenshot, and it became the main evidence against Storazhau. Judge Balabolava found the man guilty under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code and sentenced him to 13 days of arrest.
Photo of a white dog in red overalls
Navapolack dentist Aliaksandr Hrudnitski was twice sentenced to 15 days of arrest, and his wife Alla Hrudnitskaya was fined twice. And the last fine, which was imposed by judge Zinaida Balabolava is as much as 3,700 rubles, and the total amount of fines is 4,810 rubles (1335 euros).
On August 22, Alla was found guilty of "unauthorized picketing" under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code. According to the report, the woman posted a photo of a white dog in red overalls on her Adnaklasniki social media page. There was a caption under the photo saying "Long Live Belarus!!!!! No to violence!!!".
The woman did not admit her guilt at both trials.
White-red-white patch on a jacket
In early October, an elderly man was detained in the Pinsk district; he went hunting in a jacket with a white-red-white patch. This was regarded as an "unauthorized picket" and a report was drawn up against him under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code.
According to the report, the man "while hunting wild animals, held a single picket using protest symbols, namely, hunted with an emblem of a white-red-white flag on the right sleeve of his jacket in order to protest against the current government."
The hunter pleaded guilty at the trial. As a result, the court imposed a fine of 1,480 rubles on him.
Placing your own painting in a cafe
Artist Hanna Kruk was detained on the evening of November 29, 2023 at the Marx cafe in Minsk. Two days later, the artist was tried under Article 24.23 of the Administrative Code (unauthorized picketing).
According to the report, Hanna "demonstrated a painting with a red-white-red flag, which was visible to an unlimited number of people."
Kruk did not admit her guilt and explained to the court that she had indeed placed her painting in the cafe, but there was no image of a white-red-white flag on it. As a result, the court decided to arrest the woman for 13 days.
