Source: www.forum18.org
Date: November 4, 2026
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
By Felix Corley, Forum 18
In October, at the end of a closed trial, Vileika District Court in Minsk
Region jailed 66-year-old Catholic priest Fr Anatol Parakhnevich for three
years. The Judge also fined him 3 weeks' average wage. He has already spent
more than 7 months in detention since masked officers – apparently from
the KGB secret police - searched his home and church in mid-March and
arrested him. Minsk Regional Court says Fr Parakhnevich has appealed, but
the appeal has not yet reached the Regional Court.
Investigators initially prepared a criminal case against Fr Parakhnevich on
charges of treason. These carry a punishment of imprisonment of between 7
years and life, or the death penalty. However, the Judge appears to have
convicted him of "insulting official representatives" and/or "supporting
extremist activity". Officials refuse to give any information on the case
(see below).
A chancellery official at Vileika District Court refused to give any
information about Fr Parakhnevich's sentence. "We give no information by
telephone," she told Forum 18. Asked why not, she responded: "It is
forbidden." She then put the phone down (see below).
Telephones at Minsk City and Region KGB went unanswered each time Forum 18
called (see below).
Forum 18 asked the senior religious affairs official, Plenipotentiary for
Religious and Ethnic Affairs Oleg Dyachenko, why the court jailed Fr
Parakhnevich and why criminal cases were brought earlier against other
Catholic priests. He put the phone down. Subsequent calls went unanswered.
(Dyachenko has held the post since September.) Other officials in his
office did not answer the phone (see below).
The independent Catholic news outlet Katolik.life, which has been following
the case, cited local church members on the sentence. It noted that the
exact date of the sentence is not known. "The hearings were held behind
closed doors; no one was permitted to enter the courtroom, and the nature
of the case remains unknown. According to church members, even the
leadership of the Curia does not have information regarding the specific
charges brought against the priest" (see below).
"The trial was closed and the substance of the charges remains unknown,"
the Christian Vision group, which documents violations of freedom of
religion or belief and other human rights, noted. "But it is clear that it
was not 'treason', which they had accused Fr Parakhnevich of earlier, as
this prescribes a minimum sentence of 7 years' imprisonment" (see below).
(The regime has declared to be "extremist"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
sites and logo of the Christian Vision group. The regime has similarly
listed Katolik.life's website and social media channels as "extremist"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
In a September report, the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Situation
of Human Rights in Belarus condemned the way "trials against individuals
critical of or perceived as critical of the Government" proceed. It warned
that "the judiciary has systematically violated fair trial rights,
including the rights to equality of arms, to have a counsel of his/her
choice, to have adequate time and facilities to prepare defence, to be
tried without undue delay, to a fair and public hearing, and to the
presumption of innocence" (see below).
Officials have not revealed where Fr Parakhnevich is being held. Church
members believe he is in the KGB Investigation Prison in Minsk. Forum 18
was unable to find out as the prison lists no number, and telephones at
Minsk City and Region KGB went unanswered. The duty officer at Minsk
Investigation Prison No. 1 – which is run by the Interior Ministry –
said that officials would not say whether or not an individual is being
held there (see below).
Fr Yuri Yasevich, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference, said
the Church leadership is aware of Fr Parakhnevich's sentence and that he
has lodged an appeal. He added that the Church has issued no official
statement on the trial and conviction (see below).
On 16 June, Minsk City Court rejected the appeal by Yevgeny Shvedov, a
38-year-old Jehovah's Witness from Minsk, against his conviction for
refusing reserve military duties on grounds of conscience. He lodged a
cassational appeal. Minsk's Pervomaisky District Court had found Shvedov
guilty in April and sentenced him to 6 months' correctional labour, with 20
per cent of his wages withheld by the state (see below).
UN criticism of judicial processes
The United Nations Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human
Rights in Belarus issued sharp criticism in a report on "the involvement of
Belarusian State institutions in human rights violations in the criminal
justice process". The report (A/HRC/63/CRP.1
(https://www.ohchr.org/sites/d
was made public on 14 September.
"In the trials against individuals critical of or perceived as critical of
the Government," the Group of Independent Experts' report noted, "the
judiciary has systematically violated fair trial rights, including the
rights to equality of arms, to have a counsel of his/her choice, to have
adequate time and facilities to prepare defence, to be tried without undue
delay, to a fair and public hearing, and to the presumption of innocence,
as well as the guarantees of the independence and impartiality of
tribunals."
New senior state religious affairs official
The regime's control of religious communities tightened still further
following the entry into force in July 2024 of a new Religion Law. Exercise
of freedom of religion or belief without state permission remains banned.
All registered religious communities were required to submit
re-registration applications
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Officials have refused to give detailed figures for how many religious
communities have and have not received the compulsory re-registration.
The most senior state official controlling religious life is the
Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs. A legal amendment of 15
July 2026 transferred oversight over the Plenipotentiary from the Council
of Ministers directly to the President. On 28 September 2026, Aleksandr
Lukashenko removed Aleksandr Rumak (who had held the post since December
2020 (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Dyachenko as the new Plenipotentiary.
Dyachenko is a scholar of religion who defended his dissertation on the
Pentecostal movement in Belarus, Christian Vision noted after his September
2026 appointment. "Furthermore, he has long been an insider when it comes
to state control over the religious sphere: he previously chaired the
expert council under the Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs.
He also served on a commission for the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee
tasked with identifying signs of 'extremism' in publications."
In recent years, officials of the Plenipotentiary's Office have absolutely
refused to answer any of Forum 18's questions. "I will give no
commentaries," is their standard response
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Repeated targeting of Catholic priests
The jailing of Catholic parish priest Fr Anatol Parakhnevich is the latest
in a series of such jailings.
Fr Vladislav Lazar was arrested in May 2013 on treason charges. The KGB
secret police suddenly released him from its detention centre in Minsk in
December 2013 to be transferred to house arrest. The criminal investigation
against him was only later dropped
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Fr Henryk Okolotovich was arrested in November 2023 and jailed at a closed
trial in December 2024 for 11 years on treason charges. Fr Andrei
Yukhnevich was arrested in May 2024 and jailed at a closed trial in April
2025 for 13 years on accusations of sexual abuse of a minor or minors,
accusations his supporters say were fabricated. Lukashenko pardoned the
two. They were freed from labour camp in November 2025, taken to the
nunciature in the capital Minsk and then to the airport the same day and
flown to Rome. It seems they are not allowed to return to serve in Belarus
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Two decades' parish service
Fr Anatol Yevgenyevich Parakhnevich (born in Belarus 16 June 1960) – who
grew up an orphan - gained his religious education in the Polish city of
Bialystok. He was ordained a Catholic priest in June 1995, and served in
parishes in Rakov and Zaslavl, in Minsk Region.
Fr Parakhnevich has been priest of the parish
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
the Blessed Virgin Mary in the small village of Alkovichi in Vileika
District of Minsk Region since 2007. He also founded a small museum
attached to the church.
On 19 June 2020, the local news website Shlyakh Peramogi (Path of Victory)
published a positive article about Fr Parakhnevich. It described him as a
"shepherd of human souls, historian and collector of antiquities".
On 2 March 2022, Ash Wednesday, Fr Parakhnevich spoke out against Russia's
full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which had begun a week earlier.
On 22 May 2022, a hostile article in News.by said that Fr Parakhnevich had
been among attendees at a "secret" event to mark Poland's Constitution Day
(3 May). The event had been organised by the Polish embassy in Minsk which,
"strangely", decided to hold it at the Ukrainian embassy.
Arrest
Masked security officers arrested Fr Anatol Parakhnevich in Alkovichi on 16
March 2026. That morning, several cars arrived to detain him. "All the
officials were wearing masks - they left only in the evening," Viasna noted
on 23 March (https://telegram.me/viasna96/
sealed, the security forces also searched for something in the church. The
faithful cannot enter the church because they do not have keys."
Officials took the keys of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church
in Alkovichi during the raids and searches. Parishioners were unable to
gain access to the church
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
and Mass could not be celebrated. Soon afterwards, officials returned the
keys and allowed the church to be used once again. A visiting priest later
celebrated Masses there for local villagers. Fr Parakhnevich's home in
Alkovichi remained sealed for some weeks.
Fr Parakhnevich was held from his 16 March arrest. This included the period
of Holy Week running up to Easter (which Catholics celebrated on 5 April).
This is the holiest part of the year for Christians.
"We don't know where he is being held"
Officials gave Fr Anatol Parakhnevich's parishioners no information about
why he was arrested (https://www.forum18.org/archi
or where he was being held.
Soon after Fr Parakhnevich's arrest, the Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese sent a
statement to diocesan priests about his case, Christian Vision noted on 23
March (https://t.me/christianvision/
received from the faithful of the parish of the Visitation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary in the village of Alkovichi, Vileika Deanery, since 17 March
2026, the parish priest Fr Anatol Parakhnevich has been absent, the house
where the priest lived is sealed with KGB seals," the statement noted.
"On Sunday 22 March 2026, the church was closed and Holy Mass was not
celebrated. There is no official information regarding the whereabouts of
Fr Anatol Parakhnevich in the Curia to this day." The Archdiocese asked the
priests to pray in connection with the situation.
Fr Yuri Yasevich, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference, said
the Church had no information about Fr Parakhnevich's case. "We know he was
detained and his home was sealed, but we don't know where he is being held
or what any accusations against him might be," he told Forum 18 from Minsk
in April (https://www.forum18.org/archi
"The priest has been behind bars for over two weeks, and it's unclear why
he was detained or what he's accused of," Katolik.life noted on 7 April
(https://katolik.life/rus/news
"There has been no official statement from the Catholic Church on this
matter. Priests are not telling the faithful about their brother's fate,
and some note that there is, indeed, no information about the parish priest
in Alkovichi. Perhaps the bishops know something, but they are not sharing
it."
"He has no relatives, so no one – apart from the bishops – can find
anything out about him," Katolik.life lamented.
(In July 2024, the Information Ministry listed Katolik.life as "extremist".
In August 2024, a court in Minsk Region declared Katolik.life's Telegram
channel "extremist". One month later, the Inspectorate for Supervision of
Telecommunications blocked access in Belarus to the Telegram channel on the
basis of the Information Ministry's decision. In August 2025, by decision
of Grodno's Lenin District Court, the Information Ministry added all
Katolik.life's social media pages to the list of "extremist materials"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Officials give no information
Over the following months, officials gave no public information
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
arrested Fr Anatol Parakhnevich and what charges (if any) he might face.
Some speculated that he was being held at the KGB secret police's
Investigation Prison in Minsk.
The listed number for the Minsk City and Region KGB went unanswered each
time Forum 18 called in April.
Olga Topdemir is head of Minsk Region Administration's Ideology and Youth
Chief Directorate, one of whose duties is controlling religion. Forum 18
asked her in April why officials had arrested Fr Parakhnevich. "I don't
know what you want from me," she said and then put the phone down
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Forum 18's questions to the police in April about Fr Parakhnevich remained
unanswered (https://www.forum18.org/archi
from the duty officer at Vileika District Police and the Information
Department of Minsk Region Police.
Told that Forum 18 had been unable to find out why Fr Parakhnevich had been
arrested, Andrei Aryayev, the Head of the Religious Department of the
Office of the Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs, told Forum
18 in April (https://www.forum18.org/archi
have any information either." He then put the phone down.
Treason charges
During summer 2026, investigators appear to have been preparing charges of
treason against Fr Anatol Parakhnevich under Criminal Code Article 356.
This carries a punishment of imprisonment of between 7 years and life, or
the death penalty.
On 1 June, while he was in pre-trial detention, three human rights groups,
including Viasna (Spring), declared Fr Parakhnevich a political prisoner
(https://spring96.org/ru/news/
crude violations of international standards and the right to a fair trial"
and called for his release.
(In August 2023, the Interior Ministry labelled Viasna an "extremist
formation" and banned its activities including its website and many of its
other social media, adding the group to the "List of organisations,
formations and individual entrepreneurs linked to extremist activities"
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Priest's 3-year jail sentence at closed trial
Prosecutors handed the criminal case against Fr Anatol Parakhnevich to
Vileika District Court in Minsk Region. He denied the accusations against
him. The trial was closed and no information reached Catholic church
leaders or his parishioners. In October, at the end of the trial, the Judge
jailed Fr Parakhnevich for three years, Katolik.life noted on 3 November
(https://katolik.life/rus/news
citing church members.
The Judge also fined Fr Parakhnevich 50 Base Units, 2,250 Belarusian
Roubles, Christian Vision noted the same day
(https://t.me/christianvision/
average wages.
The original case against Fr Parakhnevich on charges of treason appears to
have been changed. "They couldn't sentence him for that (most likely they
could not find proof) and changed the [Criminal Code] Article to a milder
one," Katolik.life said.
The Judge appears to have sentenced Fr Parakhnevich under Criminal Code
Article 369 ("Insulting official representatives") and Article 361-4
("Supporting extremist activity").
Katolik.life, which has been following the case, noted that "Officially,
nothing has been reported about it." It added that the exact date of the
sentence is not known. "The hearings were held behind closed doors; no one
was permitted to enter the courtroom, and the nature of the case remains
unknown. According to church members, even the leadership of the Curia does
not have information regarding the specific charges brought against the
priest."
"The trial was closed and the substance of the charges remains unknown,"
Christian Vision noted. "But it is clear that it was not 'treason', which
they had accused Fr Parakhnevich of earlier, as this prescribes a minimum
sentence of 7 years' imprisonment."
A chancellery official at Vileika District Court (who did not give her
name) refused to give any information about Fr Parakhnevich's sentence. "We
give no information by telephone," she told Forum 18 on 3 November. Asked
why not, she responded: "It is forbidden." She then put the phone down.
Telephones at Minsk City and Region KGB went unanswered each time Forum 18
called on 4 November.
Forum 18 asked the senior religious affairs official, Plenipotentiary for
Religious and Ethnic Affairs Oleg Dyachenko, on 3 November why the court
jailed Fr Parakhnevich and why other criminal cases were brought earlier
against other Catholic priests. He put the phone down. Subsequent calls
went unanswered. Other officials in his office did not answer the phone the
same day.
Priest's appeal, parish support
An official at Minsk Regional Court (who did not give her name) told Forum
18 on 4 November that Fr Anatol Parakhnevich has lodged an appeal against
his 3-year sentence. She added that Vileika District Court has not yet sent
it through to the Regional Court.
Fr Yuri Yasevich, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference, told
Forum 18 on 4 November that the Church leadership is aware of Fr
Parakhnevich's sentence and that he has lodged an appeal. He added that the
Church has issued no official statement on the trial and conviction.
"Parishioners have spoken up for their priest and written a collective
appeal with a call for his release," Katolik.life noted on 3 November.
Officials have not revealed where Fr Parakhnevich is being held. Church
members believe he is in the KGB Investigation Prison in Minsk. Forum 18
was unable to find out as the prison lists no number, and telephones at
Minsk City and Region KGB went unanswered on 4 November. The duty officer
at Minsk Investigation Prison No. 1 – which is run by the Interior
Ministry – said the same day that officials would not say whether or not
an individual is being held there.
Conscientious objector convicted after refusing reserve duties
Yevgeny Shvedov, a Jehovah's Witness from Minsk, has been criminally
convicted for refusing to participate in military training for reservists
on grounds of conscience. He applied for exemption again when called to
reserve duties in September 2025. But with no response he went to the
assembly point on 7 October 2025, where he again set out his position.
After being verbally refused exemption, officials called the police.
Jehovah's Witnesses are conscientious objectors to military service and do
not undertake any kind of activity supporting any country's military. But
they are willing to undertake an alternative, totally civilian form of
service, as is the right of all conscientious objectors to military service
under international human rights law.
"Before this conviction, Shvedov had successfully obtained exemptions from
reservist training on religious grounds in April and May 2023 and August
2025," Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum 18. "However, when he again sought
exemption in September 2025, authorities reversed course, denied his
application, and initiated criminal proceedings after he refused to
comply."
Officials initiated criminal proceedings against Shvedov on 3 December 2025
under Criminal Code Article 436, Part 1. This punishes a reservist or
someone due for duty who fails to report for such duty with community work,
a fine, up to one year's correctional labour or imprisonment of between one
and three months.
On 13 April 2026, Minsk's Pervomaisky District Court found the 38-year-old
Shvedov guilty and sentenced him to 6 months' correctional labour, with 20
per cent of his wages withheld by the state, Jehovah's Witnesses told Forum
18.
On 22 April, Shvedov lodged an appeal. On 16 June, Minsk City Court
rejected the appeal and the verdict went into force. He lodged a
cassational appeal. He also lodged a suit challenging the original call-up
decision.
"Belarus formally introduced alternative civilian service only after
Shvedov had exceeded the age at which he could benefit from it," Jehovah's
Witnesses told Forum 18. "As a result, despite his consistent religious
objection to military service, he was left without any lawful alternative
and later prosecuted for refusing military obligations that conflict with
his beliefs."
Belarus used to jail conscientious objectors. The Alternative Service Law
came into force on 1 July 2016. The Law for the first time allowed an
alternative civilian service
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
all, conscientious objectors. Only young men with a religious pacifist
objection are eligible to apply, not those with non-religious pacifist
convictions. And if conscripts already doing military service change their
beliefs to become conscientious objectors, they are not eligible for
alternative service.
Prosecutions continued of conscientious objectors called for reserve
duties. A court in Pinsk fined Jehovah's Witness Dmitry Mozol four months'
average wages in February 2021 for refusing on grounds of conscience to
undergo nearly four weeks of reservist military training. He then lodged a
complaint (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Human Rights Committee in November 2021. The complaint is still pending
with the UN Committee. (END)
More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Belarus
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
For background information, see Forum 18's Belarus religious freedom survey
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
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