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  ‘Humiliation is their hallmark’ Basketball star Yelena Leuchanka recalls 15 days spent in an infamous Belarusian jail

  Yelena Leuchanka, a Belarusian basketball player, was recently arrested and kept in the Okrestina detention center for her participation in protests opposing the Lukashenko regime. Her story speaks to the broader human effects of the continuing protests in Belarus, as well as the ways that the state cultivates strong complicity amongst its constituents.
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  Off the cross and into the police van - ‘Meduza’ speaks to the activists behind the ‘crucifixion’ outside Moscow’s FSB headquarters

  On Thursday, November 5th, Pavel Krisevich, a Russian activist famous for his symbolic protests, performed a ‘mock crucifixion’ outside of Moscow’s FSB headquarters. His use of art combined with the motto “Down with the police state!” speaks to the ways in which the power dynamic between the police and the people in Russia maintains the authoritarianism that marks the region, as well as the potential for change towards liberal democracy.
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  ‘I will remember her ashes forever’ Why Nizhny Novgorod’s most independent journalist, Irina Slavina, burned herself alive in front of the local police station

  The death of Irina Slavina, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the free journalism KozaPress, is the living evidence of media censorship and violation of free speech in Russia.
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  Film festival director fined for violating Russia’s ‘gay propaganda law’

  The former director of the “Dukh Ognya” (Spirit of Fire) film festival was fined approximately $634 for screening the film "Outlaw" in March, despite the fact that she was not in charge of choosing the films. A court ruled that this film violated the "gay propaganda" law because one of the main characters was a gay teenager. Interestingly, state prosecutors were first made aware of this situation because there was public outrage over the screening. Now, many venues are refusing to show the film, and the festival organizers even faced threats on social media. This article demonstrates that those who are a part of or support the LGBTQ community face adversity not only from the government, but also from the public due to the prevalence of homophobia in society.
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  ‘It’s what society wants’ Belarusian bodybuilding champion divorces husband identified as riot policeman in infamous protest snapshot

  A famous Belarusian body-builder recently divorced her husband, a member of the riot police of Minsk, after she received threats following the release of his personal information via a doxing service. Her declaration that her divorce "Is what society wanted" speaks to the growing effect of protests in the region on individuals, as well as whether threats to personal livelihood will grow increasingly relevant in convincing the authorities to enact positive change.
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  The Slavic brotherhood’s future Belarusian security expert Yahor Lebiadok breaks down military cooperation between Moscow and Minsk

  As protests against the Lukashenko regime continue in Minsk, President Vladimir Putin of Russia made the decisive choice to officially express Moscow's support for the maintenance of Alexander Lukashenko's power. Though Russia initially had a "wait-and-see" stance on the protests, it appears that Putin's position has changed due to Russia and Belarus' interdependence for military supplies, monetary support, and political outreach.
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  Pussy Riot activists arrested in Moscow for hanging rainbow flags on government buildings to mark Putin’s birthday

  Two members of the Russian feminist music group Pussy Riot were arrested this week for participating in a protest in demand of LGBTQ rights. The activists hung rainbow flags around Moscow on government buildings including the Presidential Executive Office and the Supreme Court. A journalist covering the event, Artyom Radygin, was arrested and later released, although his cell phone was never returned to him. These arrests point to the Russian government's censorship of any form of speech that criticizes or opposes them.
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  ‘Blame the Russian Federation’ Journalist Irina Slavina’s self-immolation came after years of constant pressure from the authorities

  This article points to the political parties (in Russia) responsible for the death of the correspondent Irina Slavina.
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  How the Russian state media rescued Belarusian broadcasters from political pluralism

  An article describing Russian journalists' activities in Belarus after the Belarus election in 2020.