Belarus Prison No. 4 Gets New Leader Amid Political Prisoner Controversy
A leadership change has taken place at Prison No. 4 in Mogilev, Belarus. Sergei Sukharau, the facility's former head, has been removed from his role. His replacement, Sergei Taranenko, now oversees the prison, which has held political prisoners since the 2020 protests.
The prison includes both a pre-trial detention centre and a main facility. It has detained activists from Mogilev and other regions, though official figures on the number of political prisoners remain undisclosed.
Sergei Taranenko, a 40-year-old lieutenant colonel, previously led Penal Colony No. 43 in Mogilev since 2017. His appointment follows Sukharau's dismissal, who had held the position at Prison No. 4 since 2022 or 2023.
The facility has been a site of controversy. In late 2021, political prisoner Dmitry Dudko from Smarhon was transferred to Penal Colony No. 43. A week later, he took his own life. Prison No. 4 itself detains repeat offenders, including political prisoners convicted under charges such as 'disobedience'.
No official data has been released on how many political prisoners have passed through the prison between the 2020 protests and early 2026. The pre-trial centre continues to hold detainees from across the country, though exact numbers remain unclear.
Taranenko's transfer from Penal Colony No. 43 marks a shift in leadership at a facility tied to political detentions. The prison's role in holding activists, along with past incidents, remains under scrutiny. Official records still do not specify how many political prisoners have been detained there in recent years.
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