The Belarusian State Security Committee has updated its list of “persons involved in terrorist activities,” adding two more people.
The list now includes political prisoner Matsvei Baranau. He was detained in September 2025 and later sentenced to 5.5 years in a maximum-security penal colony. Baranau was found guilty under charges of “discrediting Belarus,” “insulting Lukashenka,” “defaming Lukashenka” and participating in an “extremist formation.”
The list also includes Maksim Dzemchuk. The Pinsk District and Pinsk City Court found him guilty in a case involving participation in “mass riots.” The exact sentence is unknown. He faced three to eight years in prison under the charge. Dzemchuk is currently serving his sentence, but human rights defenders do not know his whereabouts.
As of today, the list contains 1,477 people, 723 of them Belarusians.
Belarus uses extremism and terrorism charges to target opponents of the authorities and dissent more broadly.
