Anton Suryapin
Anton Suryapin is a student at Belarus State Journalism School imprisoned for posting online photographs of teddy bears carrying placards in support of freedom of expression. The teddy bear stunt was organized by a Swedish advertising company to draw attention to the repression of freedom of speech in Belarus. The company parachuted the teddy bears out of an airplane over Belarusian air space. The organizers claim that Suryapin had nothing to do with the stunt and had no prior knowledge of it. He was arrested on 13 July 2012 and subsequently charged with "organizing illegal migration." After a month in prison, he was released on bail pending trial. He faces a sentence of up to seven years in prison. His bail conditions state he cannot leave his home city of Slutsk, south of Minsk, without permission from the KGB, and he must not disclose any information in relation to the investigation.
Anton Suryapin was RELEASED after case against him was dropped on June 28, 2013.