[4] In 1978, Statkevich graduated from the Minsk Higher Military Engineering School and served as a member of the Soviet Air Defence Forces in the Murmansk Oblast of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, where he was recognised for his capability among his unit, responsible for air defence within the entire Russian Far North.

[5] In the early 1990s, Statkevich was one of the leaders of the Belarusian Militarymen Association, a pro-independence union of Soviet officers from Belarus.

[7] In 1993 Statkevich was actively protesting against Belarus joining a collective defence treaty with Azerbaijan and Armenia that were at war at a time, to prevent Belarusian soldiers serving in military conflicts outside the country.

[6] Statkevich was subject to a three-day enforced disappearance on 25 March 2017, during widespread protests that occurred during the same year.

[9] Amnesty International reported in July 2012 that Statkevich had been moved to a "punishment cell" after refusing to sign a confession.

[13] Viasna Human Rights Centre called the accusations politically motivated and demanded the immediate release of Statkevich.

Throughout the 565 days he has spent in detention, Statkevich was not allowed to get access to legal representation or defence and he has been denied all contact with his family.

[3] Statkevich was admitted to the prison hospital of Penal Colony 13 in November 2022 after falling ill with pneumonia.

[14] Natalya Radina, editor-in-chief of Charter 97, has called on the Belarusian government to allow Statkevich access to his wife to confirm that he is alive.

[17] In December 2020, Statkevich was named among the representatives of the Democratic Belarusian opposition, honored with the Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament.