Maksim Znak

Znak, a prominent lawyer, poet, musician, and member of the Belarus Coordination Council formed to lead peaceful protests against President Alexander Lukashenko's controversial re-election, was a close associate and legal counsel to Mariya Kalesnikava. He was arrested on September 9, 2020, after Kalesnikava refused to leave Belarus. Znak was convicted on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to ten years in prison on September 6, 2021, for his involvement in opposition activities. In August 2025, he was honored with the Vaclac Havel Center's Disturbing the Peace Award. Znak was released in December 2025.