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As of 30 June 2026, at least 123 cultural figures, including at least 25 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books remained at 357.
Political prisoner, musician Jahor Ciuškievič faced a new trial.
Participants in a music rave near Stoŭbcy were detained.
The summer house of journalist and writer Uładzimir Chilmanovič was sold at auction.
Authorities sealed off the house of publisher Ihar Łohvinaŭ in the village of Kaptaruny, Pastavy District.
The Ministry of Information added the Instagram account of the publishing house Połackija Łabirynty to the list of “extremist materials.”
The Facebook page of writer Juhasia Kalada was added to the list of “extremist materials.”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs designated the satirical project ChinChinChannel an “extremist formation”.
I. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers
On 26 June, political prisoner Jahor Ciuškievič, a musician who worked at the Brest Puppet Theatre, faced another trial. No details have been disclosed. On 19 December 2024, the Brest Regional Court sentenced Ciuškievič to six years in a minimum-security penal colony under Article 361-4(1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity), Article 361-1(3) (creating or participating in an extremist formation), and Article 341 (desecration of buildings and damage to property).
II. Persecution and administrative arrests of cultural figures and participants in cultural events
On the night of 21–22 June, participants in a music rave near Stoŭbcy were detained. According to participants, the gathering was exclusively a cultural and recreational event with no political connection. Nevertheless, law enforcement officers, accompanied by service dogs, arrived at the venue, stopped the music and performances, and began detaining attendees, including musicians and singer-songwriters. All those detained were taken in for questioning and subsequently charged with administrative offences.
Some detainees were sentenced to 10 and 15 days of administrative arrest. Afterwards, security forces published a video featuring two detained men, describing them as the organisers of the event. They were forced to “confess” that they had organised the gathering without obtaining approval from the local authorities.
III. Conditions in places of incarceration
Former political prisoners reported that since his detention on 21 October 2020, artist Ivan Viarbicki has spent more than 1,065 days in punishment cells and cell-type detention facilities. In April 2026, he was transferred to Penal Colony No. 9 and immediately placed in a punishment cell.
Viarbicki was sentenced on 15 March 2021 in a politically motivated case to eight years and one month in a medium-security penal colony.
IV. Persecution of exiled cultural figures
1. On 23 June, the summer house of journalist and writer Uładzimir Chilmanovič, located in the village of Navasiołki in the Masty District, was sold at auction. On 19 August 2024, the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Chilmanovič in absentia to five years’ imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony and imposed a fine of BYN 40,000 (approximately USD 13,370). The property was put on sale to recover the amount of the fine.
2. On 24 June, it became known that the house of publisher Ihar Łohvinaŭ, owner and director of the private publishing house Łohvinaŭ, in the village of Kaptaruny (Pastavy District), had been sealed by the authorities.
V. Designation of documentary films as “extremist”
On 17 June, it became known that the Leninski District Court of Hrodna had declared a number of documentary films and videos on history themes “extremist,” including:
- Kroŭ i Popieł Dražna (Blood and Ashes of Drazhna);
- Amaĺ Zabyty Les (The Almost Forgotten Forest);
- Kurapaty;
- Historyja Biełarusi! S. Bułak-Bałachovič! (History of Belarus! S. Bulak-Balakhovich!);
- Biełaruś pad niamieckaj akupacyjaj (Belarus under German Occupation);
- Rascisłaŭ Łapicki! Heroj nacyjanalnaha supracivu! (Rastsiłaŭ Lapicki! Hero of the National Resistance!);
- Vojska Polskaje na terytoryi Biełarusi (The Polish Army on the Territory of Belarus);
- Braty pa kryvi! NKVD = GESTAPO (Brothers in Blood! NKVD = GESTAPO);
- Prakliatyja dy Zabytyja! (The Cursed and the Forgotten!), Parts 1 and 2.
VI. Designation of cultural projects’ social media as “extremist”
1. On 29 June, the Ministry of Information added the Instagram account @polackija_labirynty of the publishing house Połackija Łabirynty to the list of “extremist materials”.
2. On 29 June, the Ministry of Information expanded the list of “extremist materials” to include the Telegram channel “Volny chor” – Choir of Free Belarusians, the Instagram account of the Belarusian film festival bulbamovie, as well as the sticker packs Malawanycz, Biełaruskija Symbali, Ściah Biełarusi, Knižny Voz, Žyvie Biełaruś!, Pahonia, Biełaruś BČB, and Belarus Symbols.
VII. Designation of cultural figures’ social media as “extremist”
1. On 16 June, the Facebook page of writer Juhasia Kalada was added to the list of “extremist materials”.
2. On 16 June, the Instagram accounts of producer Janusz Gawryluk and actor Michaś Zuj were added to the list of “extremist materials”.
VIII. Designation of cultural projects as “extremist formations”
On 16 June, the Ministry of Internal Affairs designated the satirical project ChinChinChannel an “extremist formation”.
IX. Cancellation of cultural events
The Kupalle celebration scheduled for 28 June at the Dukorski Manor museum complex was cancelled.