human rights defender
Maksim Znak
Actions and Campaigns
Maksim Znak
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Urgent support needed
- Legal assistance
- Medical assistance
- Psychosocial support
- Family support
Organization affiliation
- Coordination Council
- Victar Babryka's election team
HRD's year of birth
1981
HRD's Gender
Man
Type of HRD
- Lawyer
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
HRD's geographical origin
Urban
Current Status
Pardoned
HRD's bio and work
Maksim Znak is a prominent attorney, lawyer, legal educator, bard (three albums released), athlete (ran half and full marathons, and practiced triathlon), husband, and father of one son.
In 2004, Maksim obtained his PhD in Law from the Belarusian State University. After his postgraduate studies at the BSU, he defended a scientific thesis on the Dispositiveness of Contractual Liability in Civil Law and was awarded the scientific degree of 'candidate of legal sciences'. In addition, Maksim Znak holds an Executive MBA from Kozminski University (Warsaw, Poland).
Maksim has practiced legal consulting since 2001. He is an arbitrator of the International Chamber of Arbitrators of the Union of Lawyers of Belarus. In addition, he devoted much time to science and to teaching as a senior lecturer at the Civil Law Department of the BSU, lecturing on Civil Law, International Private Law, and Legal Environment for Business. Maksim has been an expert for the World Bank's Doing Business study since 2011. He was a national consultant on bringing the Belarusian legislation into line with the basic World Trade Organization's treaties. He published over 150 articles. The Chambers Guide 2017 noted that Maksim's clients appreciated his ability to explain things in an accessible manner and to offer options to find best solutions, as well as his strategic mind, incredible promptness and persistence, creative approach to litigation work, and attention to details. Other authoritative international publications and ratings, including Legal 500, IFLR1000, and Who's Who Legal, also recognized Maksim Znak as one of the leaders in the Belarusian legal market.
He is a sports enthusiast, runs long distances and is passionate about triathlon. In addition, he plays the guitar and performs his original songs. He participated in several bard festivals in Belarus.
The book “Zekameron” is a collection of stories written by Maksim Znak while in prison. It has already been published in several European countries in Belarusian, Russian and German, and will soon be published in English and Swedish as well.
Detained since
Sep 9, 2020
Date of release
Dec 13, 2025
Charge(s)
- Extremism
- Subversion
Sentence
10 years
Latitude: 55.21
Longitude: 30.25
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Europe: Eastern Europe
Location of detention - City/Town
Viciebsk region, Vićba
Location of detention - Facility
Penal colony No. 3. 211322, Viciebsk region, Vićba
Recent case update / evolution
Maksim Znak was pardoned and released on 13 December 2025 as part of an agreement between the governments of Belarus and the United States to lift US sanctions on Belarusian potash.
Any other relevant documents
Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its ninety-third session, 30 March–8 April 2022, Opinion No. 24/2022 concerning Maksim Znak (Belarus), A/HRC/WGAD/2022/24 https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/A-HRC-WGAD-2022-24-BLR-AEV.pdf
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's year of birth
- 1981
- HRD's Gender
- Man
- Type of HRD
- Lawyer
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Organization affiliation
- Coordination Council
- Victar Babryka's election team
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
Maksim Znak is a prominent attorney, lawyer, legal educator, bard (three albums released), athlete (ran half and full marathons, and practiced triathlon), husband, and father of one son.
In 2004, Maksim obtained his PhD in Law from the Belarusian State University. After his postgraduate studies at the BSU, he defended a scientific thesis on the Dispositiveness of Contractual Liability in Civil Law and was awarded the scientific degree of 'candidate of legal sciences'. In addition, Maksim Znak holds an Executive MBA from Kozminski University (Warsaw, Poland).
Maksim has practiced legal consulting since 2001. He is an arbitrator of the International Chamber of Arbitrators of the Union of Lawyers of Belarus. In addition, he devoted much time to science and to teaching as a senior lecturer at the Civil Law Department of the BSU, lecturing on Civil Law, International Private Law, and Legal Environment for Business. Maksim has been an expert for the World Bank's Doing Business study since 2011. He was a national consultant on bringing the Belarusian legislation into line with the basic World Trade Organization's treaties. He published over 150 articles. The Chambers Guide 2017 noted that Maksim's clients appreciated his ability to explain things in an accessible manner and to offer options to find best solutions, as well as his strategic mind, incredible promptness and persistence, creative approach to litigation work, and attention to details. Other authoritative international publications and ratings, including Legal 500, IFLR1000, and Who's Who Legal, also recognized Maksim Znak as one of the leaders in the Belarusian legal market.
He is a sports enthusiast, runs long distances and is passionate about triathlon. In addition, he plays the guitar and performs his original songs. He participated in several bard festivals in Belarus.
The book “Zekameron” is a collection of stories written by Maksim Znak while in prison. It has already been published in several European countries in Belarusian, Russian and German, and will soon be published in English and Swedish as well.
- HRD's geographical origin
- Urban
- Country or area of detention
- Region of detention
- Europe: Eastern Europe
- Location of detention - City/Town
- Viciebsk region, Vićba
- Location of detention - Facility
- Penal colony No. 3. 211322, Viciebsk region, Vićba
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 55.21
Longitude: 30.25
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- Sep 9, 2020
- Current Status
- Pardoned
- Date of release
- Dec 13, 2025
- Charge(s)
- Extremism
- Subversion
- Sentence
10 years
- Recent case update / evolution
Maksim Znak was pardoned and released on 13 December 2025 as part of an agreement between the governments of Belarus and the United States to lift US sanctions on Belarusian potash.
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
Incommunicado detention, i. e. alleged legal, medical and psychological issues, no connection with outside world, including family and lawyers.
- Protection actions and campaigns
- Urgent support needed
- Legal assistance
- Medical assistance
- Psychosocial support
- Family support
- Any other relevant documents
Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its ninety-third session, 30 March–8 April 2022, Opinion No. 24/2022 concerning Maksim Znak (Belarus), A/HRC/WGAD/2022/24 https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/A-HRC-WGAD-2022-24-BLR-AEV.pdf
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
Supporting files
sorted by
Date added
17 relationships, 16 entities