The Alliance for Lawyers at Risk has written letters to the Chairman of the Supreme Court, The Prosecutor General and The Minister of Internal Affairs, in support of Belarusian lawyer Maksim Znak. Mr. Znak has represented and provided legal support to several political figures, including Viktor Babaryko and Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. He was arrested in September 2020 and sentenced to 10 years in prison, following a closed-door trial, and the exact reasons for his sentencing remain unclear. Mr. Znak has reportedly been detained incommunicado since February 2023, with no access to his family members, legal counsel or independent medical professionals, and with no clarity on when he will be released. The sentencing and detention of Maksim Znak serves as another example of the difficulties Belarusian lawyers face in the practice of their profession.

The Alliance for Lawyers at Risk is calling for the immediate release of Maksim Znak from solitary confinement, access to independent legal representation, medical services, and contact with his family, and for him to be permitted to challenge the lawfulness of his detention through an open and public hearing before the court.