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As of 31 July 2026, at least 122 cultural figures, including at least 22 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books remained at 366.
History teacher Kaciaryna Žohal was convicted in a politically motivated criminal case.
Promoters of Belarusian culture and local history Aleś Masiuk, Pavieł Sievascian, and Viktar Marčyk were arrested in Słonim.
A court handed down an in-absentia sentence in the politically motivated case against Pavieł Mickievič, founder of the Okno na Wschód (Window to the East) Foundation.
A court began the trial in absentia of the politically motivated criminal case against poet, singer and musician Siarhiej Michałok.
Film director Andrej Kudzinienka was forced to leave Belarus because of political persecution.
The health of political prisoner, journalist and non-fiction writer Ihar Iljaš has deteriorated.
The YouTube channel of the Belarusian rock band Dzieciuki was designated as “extremist”.
The Instagram page “Pošuki staroha Homiela” (Searching for Old Homiel) was designated as “extremist material”.
The Instagram account “ales_minau”, belonging to writer Aleś Minaŭ, was designated as “extremist material”.
The Odnoklassniki page “Pavieł Sieviaryniec” was designated as “extremist material”.
І. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers
1. On 19 July, history teacher Kaciaryna Žohal was convicted in a politically motivated criminal case. The Minsk City Court found her guilty under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activities) and sentenced her to restricted freedom in home confinement.
2. On 23 July, it became known that promoters of Belarusian culture and local history Aleś Masiuk, Pavieł Sievascian, and Viktar Marčyk had been arrested in Słonim. They have already spent several months in custody. The arrests were carried out as part of a criminal case related to the activities of the Belarusian Council for Culture.
3. On 27 July, the Hrodna Regional Court handed down an in-absentia sentence in the politically motivated case against Pavieł Mickievič, founder of the Okno na Wschód Foundation, who was involved in educational and cultural projects. He was convicted in absentia under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activities) and Article 369-1 (discrediting Belarus) and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony and a fine of BYN 22,500 Belarusian roubles (500 base units, approximately USD 7,720).
4. On 28 July, the Minsk City Court opened the trial in absentia of poet, singer and musician Siarhiej Michałok. He is charged under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement of hatred or enmity) and Part 1 of Article 368 (insulting the President). In 2025, Michałok was placed on Belarus’s wanted list. Having lived in Ukraine since 2015, he relocated to Estonia in 2022. He continues to tour across Europe and has publicly expressed support for Ukraine. He now performs some of the best-known songs of his bands Lyapis Trubetskoy and Brutto in Ukrainian.
II. Persecution and forced exiles of cultural figures
On 22 July, officers of the security services and the police carried out searches of the home and office of film director and founder of the KinaKałajdar film school, Andrej Kudzinienka, in Minsk. As a result of political persecution, he was forced to leave Belarus.
III. Conditions in places of incarceration
The health of political prisoner, journalist and non-fiction writer Ihar Iljaš has deteriorated, according to his wife, former political prisoner Kaciaryna Andrejeva:
“Immediately after being released from the punishment cell, Ihar began complaining about swelling in his legs and hands. After that, he was sent to work processing rubber, including tyres. This also had a very negative impact on his health – he began experiencing problems with coordination, especially in his right hand. When he was released from the punishment cell the last time, it was obvious that he was limping. And on top of that, repeated periods in the punishment cell have caused a sharp deterioration in his eyesight.”
IV. Cultural projects’ social media pages designated as “extremist”
1. On 28 July 2026, Hrodna’s Leninski District Court ruled to designate the YouTube channel of the Belarusian rock band Dzieciuki as “extremist”. In July 2025, the Ministry of Internal Affairs designated the band an “extremist formation”. In the same year, the band’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram and VKontakte), as well as its logo and the word Dzieciuki, were designated as “extremist materials”.
2. On 28 July 2026, the Central District Court of Homiel designated the Instagram page “Pošuki staroha Homiela” (Searching for Old Homiel) as “extremist material”.
V. Cultural figures’ social media pages designated as “extremist”
1. On 22 July 2026, the Baranavičy District and City Court designated the Instagram account “ales_minau”, belonging to writer Aleś Minaŭ, as “extremist material”.
2. The Odnoklassniki page “Pavieł Sieviaryniec” was designated as “extremist material”.