The number of political prisoners in Belarus is growing almost exponentially. Unfortunately, human rights organizations do not always have time to process the information received, compile cases of convicts, letters and appeals that contribute to the recognition of politically active citizens as political prisoners.
ICСI “Our House” compiled a table of articles of the Criminal Code, according to which the currently recognized political prisoners were convicted. Some of the chapters have become a favourite tool of repression, and others were occasional. But the processed data is necessary for identifying prisoners who should be recognized as political. Also, it demonstrates the picture of persecution and repression in Belarus.
The table shows statistics on already convicted people who have already received sentences and are serving their sentences. A lot of active citizens are behind bars awaiting trials and sentencing. In our opinion, such people should also have the right to be recognized as political prisoners. Many of them have been arrested since the beginning of the 2020 presidential campaign and after August 2020. The attitude of the “law enforcement” agencies towards them is the same as towards recognized political prisoners – they are subjected to torture, violence and bullying.
According to the latest data, men and women who are convicted under the articles listed in the table must serve a total of 1,758 years. It is 65 terms of 27 years of the usurper. We are confident that the authorities involved in repressions against people will be justified following the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. But they will be judged by honest judges.
| Article number | Title of the article | Number of convicts |
| 130 | Incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord | 16 |
| 147 | Intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm | 1 |
| 178 | Disclosure of medical secrets | 2 |
| 179 | Illegal collection or dissemination of information about private life | 2 |
| 188 | Slander | 20 |
| 191 | Obstruction of the exercise of electoral rights, the right to participate in a referendum, or the implementation of the legal initiative of citizens, or the work of the Central Commission of the Republic of Belarus on Elections and holding republican referendums, election commissions, referendum commissions, recall voting commissions | 2 |
| 209 | Fraud | 2 |
| 218 | Intentional destruction or damage to property committed in a generally dangerous manner or causing major damage | 25 |
| 235 | Legalization (“laundering”) of funds obtained by criminal means | 5 |
| 243 | Evasion of payment of taxes and fees | 1 |
| 289 | An act of terrorism | 2 |
| 293 | Mass riots | 230 |
| 295 | Illegal actions concerning firearms, ammunition and explosives | 20 |
| 295-3 | Illegal actions concerning objects whose damaging effect is based on the use of combustible substances | 5 |
| 309 | Intentional disrepair of a vehicle or means of communication | 10 |
| 339 | Hooliganism | 230 |
| 341 | Desecration of buildings and damage to property | 28 |
| 342 | Organizing or actively participating in group activities that grossly violate public order | 272 |
| 346 | Abuse of historical and cultural values | 1 |
| 356 | Treason to the state | 1 |
| 357 | Conspiracy or other actions aimed at seizing power unconstitutionally | 2 |
| 361 | Calls for actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus | 3 |
| 361-1 | Creation of an extremist formation | 3 |
| 362 | Murder of an internal affairs officer | 2 |
| 363 | Resistance to an employee of the internal affairs bodies or another person guarding public order | 32 |
| 364 | Violence or the threat of violence concerning an employee of the internal affairs bodies | 138 |
| 366 | Violence or threat against an official performing official duties or another person performing a public duty | 10 |
| 367 | Slander against the President of the Republic of Belarus | 6 |
| 368 | Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus | 71 |
| 369 | Insulting a representative of the authorities | 186 |
| 370 | Abuse of State symbols | 35 |
| 371 | Illegal crossing of the State border of the Republic of Belarus | 1 |
| 377 | Theft, destruction, damage or concealment of documents, stamps, seals, theft of forms | 2 |
| 391 | Insulting a judge or a people’s assessor | 16 |
| 400 | Deliberately false denunciation | 1 |
| 409 | Illegal actions concerning property subject to inventory or arrest | 1 |
| 430 | Receiving a bribe | 5 |
*statistical information has been processed according to the data for the evening of September 24, 2021. Due to the constant increase in the number of political prisoners, the table will be updated.
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