38-year-old Ivan Suprunchik ended up behind bars for cooperating with the “Black Book of Belarus” project. He passed on information about a relative of Nikolai Karpenkov, who was then Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. As a result, the man was sentenced to 5 years in a high-security correctional facility.
On December 2, 2021, I was arrested in the courtyard of the building where I was renting an apartment. The people who arrested me were in plain clothes, and they did not show me any documents. They came up from behind as I was opening my car, two people grabbed each of my arms, and they took my mobile phone. I asked who they were and what they wanted, but apart from insults and threats, I received no answers.
They then threw me into a minibus and started beating me — with their hands and feet. I soon lost consciousness. I came to some time later, when they were trying to bring me around. Then the beating started again, including with an electric shock device for animals — a kind of collar on a long handle. They took turns beating me. There were at least seven of them, including the driver.
At the anti-extremism unit, they made me kneel and pressed my forehead against the wall. Different people came in again and again. Each new person beat me: some harder, some just for show.
Then they tried to record a “forced confession video.” They explained right away: if they didn’t like anything I said, they would imprison or physically harm my family. I replied that I agreed with any accusation as long as they left my family alone.
They recorded the video over and over again. They said: “We deliberately didn’t hit you in the face so we could record a nice video with you, and until we record it, you won’t get anything!”
Next came the Leninsky District Police Department, where an administrative case was opened against me. They allegedly checked my phone and found subscriptions to banned Telegram channels. From there, I was taken to the temporary detention centre on Okrestina, where the conditions were unbearable.
Then there was an online trial under Article 19.11 — for distributing, producing, storing, and transporting information products containing calls for extremist activity or promoting such activity.
At the trial, I confirmed everything because the anti-extremism unit had warned me: if I tried to refuse, terrible consequences awaited my relatives. I had no doubt that they would carry out their threats. At that point, I did not even know whether my relatives were alive.
In the evening, I was transferred to a cell designed for six people, but there were 18 or more of us there.
Then an investigating officer came. It turned out that a criminal case had been opened against me for passing data to the “Black Book of Belarus” project. My testimony was not taken into account in court at all.
On August 12, 2022, I was sentenced under Part 1 of Article 13 and Part 3 of Article 130 (attempted incitement of racial, national, religious, or other social hatred or enmity), as well as Part 1 of Article 179 (unlawful collection and dissemination of information about private life). The judge sentenced me to 5 years in a high-security correctional facility. I served my sentence at Correctional Facility No. 22 in the Ivatsevichy district, known as the “Wolf’s Lairs.”
I was given a yellow tag and faced problems from the prison administration. During a conversation, the deputy head of the correctional facility for operational work told me: “I will lower your social status. My guards will keep a close eye on you. And soon Karpankov is supposed to come here for an inspection, and I’ll hand you over to him!”
In December 2022, I was transferred to a unit and assigned to work at the republican unitary production enterprise “Correctional Facility No. 5.”
The working conditions were difficult: I worked outdoors, and no warm clothing or gloves were provided. Whenever I complained about the working conditions, I was told: “Shut up, or you’ll be sent to the punishment cell!”
The pressure and violations continued throughout my time in the correctional facility. The rules governing the lives of prisoners were designed in such a way that whatever you did or said could be treated as a violation and result in an official report.
Each such report was reviewed by the head of the correctional facility or his deputies. The result could be the loss of a long or short visit with relatives, the loss of a parcel or care package, or being sent to the punishment cell.
On June 22, 2026, I was released from the correctional facility.
The next day, I registered with the Pervomaisky District Police Department. That same day, I tried to register with the Pervomaisky District Military Commissariat. I faced the possibility of a court case because I had lost my military ID, which, as I assume, was lost by state institutions during the trial.
At the Military Commissariat, I was told that they would take me to court and that I could face a fine of 25 base units. And at the police department I went to, instead of offering help, they threatened me with 15 days of administrative arrest.
After that, I left the country. I am currently abroad and waiting for a decision on my application for international protection. Because of this, I cannot officially work for now and have to ask for help.
Fundraising goal
€3000
€1500 – rent
€1000 – medication for psoriasis and ongoing psychological support
€500 – food and household expenses