Anarchist political prisoner Mikita Yemialyanau served his sentence and was released in spring 2026. This information was published by the human rights project dissidentby.com.
Mikita was detained in October 2019 and convicted over attacks on the buildings of SIZO-1 and the Minsk City Court in Minsk as a sign of solidarity with political prisoners. He was initially sentenced to seven years in prison, but after an appeal the term was reduced to four years. In May 2020, Mikita was transferred to a prison regime.
In March 2022, he was convicted again for “malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of a correctional institution” — a charge often applied to prisoners who refuse to cooperate with prison authorities. In March 2023, he was again transferred to a prison regime.
Throughout his imprisonment, Mikita was subjected to constant pressure. He was frequently placed in a punishment cell, where he was held in isolation for dozens of days. He was deprived of visits from relatives, his correspondence was restricted, and personal belongings were confiscated. In response to harsh detention conditions, Mikita protested through hunger strikes and refusal to comply with the administration’s demands. He was also regularly penalised for minor violations, such as refusing to clean the yard or for inter-cell communication, DissidentBy reported.
Three months before his release, in February 2025, another court hearing was held against Mikita under the article on “malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of a correctional institution,” as a result of which he was sentenced to an additional year in prison.
He was released in spring 2026 after fully serving the sentence imposed by the court.
DissidentBy published the first photo of Mikita after his release: “The first photo of Mikita after his release. According to his mother, he feels well and there has been no deterioration in his health”.
