In relation to recent political events in Belarus, the former presidential candidate and co-chairman of the dissolved public association Tell the Truth, Andrei Dmitriev, was detained during the 2020 election period. This information was reported by TASS and corroborated by the human rights center Viasna, which monitors political developments in the country. The official note from authorities indicated that Dmitriev was detained, but further details were not released at that time.
Viasna described the detention as a continuation of a pattern affecting opposition figures in Belarus. The organization noted that Dmitriev, who has repeatedly been in the crosshairs of authorities, faced restrictions during the investigation process and was kept in custody for a period before the case was clarified. The rights group emphasized the lack of transparency surrounding the case and the limited information available to the public in the immediate aftermath.
Historically, this is not the first time Dmitriev has faced detention. Earlier in August 2021, he was detained and released on the same day under a confidentiality agreement, a move that drew attention from international observers and human rights advocates. The pattern of short-term detentions followed by a quiet release has been cited by analysts as part of a broader approach to limiting the activities of opposition leaders and their organizations.
In October 2021, the Supreme Court of Belarus ruled to liquidate the Republican Research and Education Public Association RIPOO, citing violations discovered in the operations of the Tell the Truth organization. Dmitriev, who served as co-chair of Tell the Truth, remained a central figure in the political narrative surrounding the organization and its activities. The court decision was perceived by supporters as a strategic blow to coordinated opposition efforts and by critics as a necessary enforcement of regulatory standards, depending on the observer’s stance.
Back in 2015, Dmitriev held a leadership position within the electoral center that supported Tatyana Korotkevich, a presidential candidate who secured 22.3 percent of the vote in the official tally reported by a private sociological agency. This period marked Dmitriev’s deeper involvement in election-related organizing and advocacy, establishing him as a recognizable figure within opposition circles and the broader discourse about Belarusian politics during that era.
Looking at subsequent years, Dmitriev also participated as a candidate in the 2019 parliamentary elections. Official data indicated that he achieved the strongest result among alternative candidates, distinguishing himself within the field and signaling a persistent effort to influence political outcomes through formal electoral channels. The details surrounding this candidacy reflected the evolving dynamics of opposition participation in Belarusian politics and the ongoing tension between authorities and dissenting voices.