Yauhen Merkis

Yauhen Merkis is a journalist who covered the protest actions following the 2020 presidential election. He was repeatedly subjected to detentions, fines, and administrative arrests. After several independent media outlets were designated as extremist organizations, Yauhen focused on local history research. On September 13, 2022, in the afternoon, a search was conducted in the journalist’s apartment in Homiel, after which his data storage devices were seized and he himself was detained. On September 11, 2025, it became known that he had been taken to Lithuania.