In 2021, over 40 Belarusian students were recognized as political prisoners. These young people have been unlawfully persecuted for their political views and will not be able to resume their studies, see their families, and freely communicate with their friends in the near future.
Like other political prisoners, they are in prison only because they dared to openly declare their position and, together with other Belarusians, stand up for freedom and democratic values.
We call on everyone to show solidarity with political prisoners and their families. To support them, we have launched a symbolic patronage campaign and are now working to ensure that each and every one of them is enrolled at university or is receiving a different form of patronage depending on their specific circumstances.
By virtue of the cooperation between the Education Office for New Belarus and the Vytautas Magnus University of Kaunas, student and political prisoner Artem Boyarski has already been enrolled in a Bachelor of Biotechnology Program. He will be able to recommence his studies as soon as he is released.
Patronage of political prisoners-students is a solid step universities around the world can take to express solidarity with Belarusian people and help those who need our support more than ever.
Political prisoners-students
Artem Boyarsky
Student of the chemical faculty of BSU
Date of birth: June 18 2001
Date of detention: March 24 2021
Charges indicted: Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus – Creation of an extremist formation
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention CENTER-1
Artem, a second-year student of the Chemical Faculty of the Belarusian State University, was detained for the first time on November 16, 2020 after a March of Elderly people. On March 24, 2021, during the days of numerous preventive detentions before Freedom Day, they came for Artyom again. On March 25, a video appeared on the state telegram channel in which Artem admits to the administration of the public. To make him say it on video, the guy was beaten with batons on the back and buttocks. Artyom told the lawyer this during the interrogation on April 19. Artem was supposed to be released on April 18. But on April 16, parents were informed that he was detained as a suspect under Article 361-1 Part 1 of the Criminal Code. He is enrolled in Kaunas University of Vytautas the Great for the bachelor’s program “Biotechnology”. As soon as Artem is released, he will be able to continue his studies in his specialty.
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Ksenia Syramalot
Student of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences of BSU
Date of birth: December 19 1999
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Art. 342 of the Criminal Code — Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: imprisonment in a general-security penal colony
Place of detention: Penal colony No. 4
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Kasia Budko
Student of BSPU
Date of birth: May 25 2001
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention CENTER-1
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Gleb Fitzner
MGLU Student
Date of birth: March 18 1999
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Prison No. 4
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Anastasia Bulybenko
Former student of BNTU, expelled during the autumn protests
Date of birth: September 23 2001
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention center-3
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Ilya Trakhtenberg
Expelled student of the mathematical faculty of BSU
Date of birth: October 10 2001
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Prison No. 4
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Egor Kanetsky
Student of the Biological Faculty of BSU
Date of birth: June 28 1999
Date of detention: November 2 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention CENTER-1
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Yana Orobeyko
Student of BSPU
Date of birth: January 17 2001
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention center-3
Statement on the status of a political prisoner
Victoria Grankovskaya
BNTU student, expelled during the autumn protests
Date of birth: July 5 1996
Date of detention: November 12 2020
Charges indicted: Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus
Sentence: 2 years and 6 months
Penalty: deprivation of liberty in a general regime colony
Place of detention: Pre-trial detention center-3
Statement on the status of a political prisoner