Aleh Kanavalau, the creator of an oppositionist YouTube channel, was arrested on January 10, 2022, when he returned from Ukraine to Belarus on holiday. 

He was accused of de-anonymizing law enforcers and “posting anti-government information on a social network, promoting resistance to the authorities". When in Ukraine, Kanavalau uploaded videos of the Belarusian solidarity rallies in Kyiv to his YouTube channel. He is also accused of “cynical comments” about the deceased KGB officer Dzmitryi Fedasiuk. 

Aleh Kanavalau was charged with several articles of the Criminal Code:

• Article 342 ('Organization and preparation of actions grossly disrupting public order or active participation in them')
• Article 369 ('Insulting a government official')
• Article 368 ('Insulting the President of Belarus')
• Article 361-1 ('Creation of an extremist formation or participation in it')
• Article 130 ('Incitement to hatred')

In late February 2022, when in remand prison #3 in Homieĺ, he was placed in a punishment cell for seven days.

On September 7, 2022, the Homieĺ Regional Court sentenced the political prisoner to five years of imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony, a fine of 3,200 Belarusian rubles ($1,300), and compensation for moral damage in favor of the injured policeman in the amount of 5,000 Belarusian rubles ($2,000).

On December 23, 2022, the KGB included the political prisoner in their 'List of persons involved in terrorist activities'.

In early January 2023, Aleh Kanavalau was transferred to penal colony #17 in Škloŭ, Mahilioŭ region.

On July 18, 2023, in the Škloŭ District Court, Judge Aliaksandr Tarakanau was to hear the case of the political prisoner under Part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code ('Willful disobedience to requirements of penitentiary administration').

It was reported that in September 2023 the political prisoner was sent to prison No. 4 in Mahileu.