On the Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners, observed on 21 May, the Viasna Human Rights Centre published updated data on political prisoners in Belarus.
As of 21 May 2026, there were 841 political prisoners held in places of detention, including 727 men and 114 women. At least 168 of them are considered to be in a particularly vulnerable group. Among them, at least 60 people are in poor health, 8 have disabilities, 26 are over the age of 60 and 9 suffer from mental disorders. Also behind bars are 26 parents with many children and at least 17 foreign nationals.
Thirty-seven people are in difficult family circumstances. These include single parents, parents with many children, and families in which both parents are imprisoned. Twenty-six parents with many children remain behind bars. Among them are six women: 48-year-old Hanna Ablab, 59-year-old Zhanna Auramchyk, 46-year-old Viktoryia Damastoi, 53-year-old Nadzeya Laptsionak, 47-year-old Aksana Malochka, and 60-year-old Lukerya Mirontsava.
Since 2020, nine political prisoners have died in detention. Those who died behind bars include 50-year-old activist from Biarozauka Vitold Ashurak, 36-year-old Russian citizen Andrei Padniabenny, 61-year-old Valiantsin Shtermer, 22-year-old Russian citizen Dzmitry Shlethauer, 51-year-old businessman Aliaksandr Kulinich, 63-year-old civic activist Ihar Lednik, 50-year-old political prisoner Vadzim Khrasko, 57-year-old artist Ales Pushkin, and 61-year-old political prisoner, blogger and civic activist from Pinsk Mikalai Klimovich.
Former prisoners continue to speak about torture, beatings and inhuman conditions of detention.
The Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners was initiated by Viasna in memory of Vitold Ashurak, who died in the Shklou penal colony in 2021.
