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Statute · Belarus

Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus

financing extremist activity

The Detained has documented 65 cases in Belarus in which this article was charged. 50 ended in a prison sentence, with a median of 5 years and the longest at 13 years. Torture or ill-treatment was reported in 5 of them.

Documented cases
65
Prison sentences
50
Median sentence
5 years
Longest sentence
13 years
Torture reported
5

Article 361-2, financing extremist activity, was added in 2021. It punishes providing or collecting money or property for an extremist formation or for extremist activity: three to six years under Part 1 and five to eight under Part 2 for repeat acts or acts by a group. Combined with the extremist register, it criminalizes donations to any listed organization, and the register includes the main solidarity funds that support Belarusians fined, dismissed or imprisoned for the 2020 protests.

The documented cases are donors. Transfers of a few dozen euros to a solidarity fund in 2020 or 2021, identified from bank records seized years later, produce criminal cases and sentences of several years. Some defendants were charged after crossing the border and having their banking apps inspected; others were named in the records of a fund whose data was obtained. The article is charged alongside 361-4 (assistance) when the donation is also treated as support for a media outlet or channel.

In force since 14 Jun 2021

Introduced by the 2021 amendments to the Criminal Code. Donations made before the recipient was listed have nonetheless been prosecuted.

0 arrests before 2021 · 56 arrests since 2021

Arrests by year

2022
6
2023
27
2024
18
2025
5
n/a9 · arrest date not published

Charged together with

All documented cases · 65

NameArrestedSentencePlace of arrest
Yury Vasileuski1 Sept 2025no sentence recordedBelarus
Sjarhei Ramaszou7 Jun 20253 yearsHrodna, Hrodna region
Aljaksandr Kundro27 Mar 20257 years
Andrei Viktaravich Jaraszevicz27 Mar 202510 yearsBelarus
Ihar Hubarevich2 Jan 2025no sentence recorded
Dzmitryi Khamjankou26 Dec 2024no sentence recordedHomel, Homel Region
Andrei Berastavy5 Dec 20243 yearsHomel, Homel region
Ihar Halcou3 Dec 20245 yearsMahilyow, Mahilyow region
Valeryi Mefadzienka10 Aug 20248 years 6 monthsSianno, Vitebsk region
Aljaksandr Darahakupec9 Aug 20245 yearsIvanava, Brest region
Czeslau Herasimovicz24 Jun 20245 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Siarhei Salazhencau9 Jun 2024no sentence recordedHrodna, Belarus
Vital Leskavets20 May 2024no sentence recorded
Alina Khmjaleuskaja12 Apr 20245 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Anton Stankevich3 Apr 2024no sentence recorded
Aljaksandr Kamlionak13 Feb 20243 yearsOrsha, Vitebsk region
Natallia Ramanienka9 Feb 2024no sentence recordedMinsk, Minsk region
Alena Dzemjanczuk23 Jan 20243 yearsBrest, Brest region
Siarhei Yunchyts23 Jan 20245 years
Anatol Valadzko15 Jan 20248 yearsMinsk, Belarus
Vasil Areszka15 Jan 20245 yearsBelarus
Sjarhei Zabelicz13 Jan 20245 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Uladzimir Uladzimiravich Lazarevich3 Jan 20249 yearsMinsk, Belarus
Aljaksandr Czykindzin1 Dec 20235 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Nadzeya Karankevich15 Nov 2023no sentence recorded
Uladzimir Saveleu28 Oct 2023no sentence recordedMinsk, Minsk region
Ksenija Khadyrova10 Oct 20235 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Dyjana Stulba10 Oct 20233 yearsMinsk, Minsk Region
Maryna Leanovich9 Oct 20235 yearsBelarus
Jahor Volkau18 Sept 20233 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Vadzim Dauhuczyc23 Aug 20235 yearsShklow, Mogilev region
Pavel Aliaksandravich Kaberda22 Aug 20235 yearsMinsk region, Minsk region
Artur Rolich15 Aug 20239 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Aljaksandr Mikalayevich Jacukevicz7 Aug 20233 yearsMinsk, Belarus
Dzmitryi Sviczkarou2 Aug 20235 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Andrei Bremszmidt15 Jun 20236 yearsZaslawye, Minsk region
Ivan Sukhamerau15 Jun 202310 yearsPetrykaw, Homel region
Piotr Jarmaszuk11 Jun 20234 yearsBelarus
Dzmitryi Makeeu24 May 20236 yearsHomel, Homel Region
Yuryi Jurenja12 May 20235 years
Andrei Lapatsin4 May 20234 yearsMinsk, Minsk Region
Kiryl Kroszkin1 May 20239 yearsBelarus
Arciom Ljabedzka28 Mar 20233 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Alesia Shapkina10 Mar 2023no sentence recorded
Aleh Syczou3 Mar 20239 yearsCharciazh, Minsk region
Dzjanis Sakalou3 Mar 202313 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Maksim Lapacin3 Mar 20238 yearsMinsk, Belarus
Andrei Stsiapurka3 Mar 2023no sentence recorded
Dzmitry Zahalavets20 Jan 20233 years 6 months
Mikalai Bankou18 Jan 20234 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Mikalai Vasilevich17 Oct 20229 yearsMinsk, Belarus
Dzjanis Sidarok10 Oct 20225 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Leanid Kozyr9 Sept 2022no sentence recordedMinsk, Minsk Region
Pavel Kharytonau28 Jun 20225 years
Aljaksandr Zijazetdzinau15 Jun 20229 yearsMinsk, Minsk region
Mikhail Laban17 Feb 20224 yearsг. Новополоцк
Mikhail Njaznanaudate unknown5 yearsVitebsk, Vitebsk region
Aljaksandr Siarheyevich Verasovicdate unknown6 yearsMaladzyechna, Minsk region
Vital Krasnoudate unknown5 years
Aljaksandr Markavich Cjareszczankadate unknownno sentence recordedMinsk, Minsk region
Kanstancin Szestaudate unknown8 yearsBelarus
Illja Humbardate unknownno sentence recordedBelarus
Aljaksandr Sasnouskidate unknown3 yearsMazyr, Homel region
Maksim Remezaudate unknownno sentence recordedMinsk, Belarus
Aljaksandr Maksimoviczdate unknown7 yearsMinsk, Minsk Region

Questions

Is donating to a solidarity fund a crime?
If the fund is on the extremist register, yes, under Article 361-2. Several documented cases rest on single transfers of small amounts.
How are donors identified?
From bank records and payment-app histories obtained during searches, at border checks, or from data of the recipient organization.

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Other statutes in Belarus

Counts are of published records in The Detained’s database for Belarus that carry this article, matched after normalizing how sources write it, as of 5 Nov 2026. They are a documented minimum: cases not yet published or not yet linked to the article are not counted. Each row links to the case record and its sources.