January 2022
The website of the human rights organisation Human Constanta was blocked by the decision of the Prosecutor of Minsk.
There were searches of the Public Organisation Mogilev Human Rights Centre`s members` residences and of its office, along with summoning its leader for interrogation.
The Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 144-З і On Amending Codes` was adopted and entered into force. According to this law, the infamous article 193-1 was restored in the Criminal Code, which covers organising and participating in the activities of the public associations, including political parties, trade unions, religious organisations, and foundations, that either not to have been registered on the territory of Belarus or to have been liquidated by the decision come into force.
February 2022
The State Control Committee filed one more criminal case over financing extremist activities (Art. 361-2 of the Criminal Code) against founders of BYSOL and BY_Help initiatives, Andrei Strizhak and Aleksey Leonchik, as well as «other persons who participated in their financing.»
The office of the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers was raided; equipment and means of communication were seized from its leaders and members. The deputy chairpersons of the trade union, Igor Komlik and Alexander Yevdokimchik, were detained.
The Human Rights Centre Viasna`s pages on social networks appeared in the Republican list of extremist materials; 21 Internet resources of the organisation were recognized as ‘extremist materials.’
March 2022
Volunteer and activist of the Vitebsk organization Our House Yulia Goryachko was sentenced to one year in a general regime penal colony under Article 342(2) of the Criminal Code (other preparing persons to participate in group actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them). The reason for the charge was that she «prepared at least 178 persons to participate in group actions grossly violating public order» by helping victims of repression to pay their fines and other expenses.
Numerous arrests and searches of representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs): the social initiative Alternativa`s leader Oleg Korban was detained for 15 days in the administrative case under Article 24.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences; chair of the cargo carriers` trade union Sergey Shtoda, head of the art project SIGNAL Oleg Larichev, activist of the forcibly liquidated movement For Freedom Tatyana Trofimova were arrested; detentions in the criminal case against «a group of citizens uniting via the Internet» was held. Searches were conducted in the houses of Mozyr human rights defender Uladzimir Tseliapun (for the third time), former leader of the Young Front and organizer of the Kurapaty protection actions Zmitser Dashkevich (the latter was detained after the search). Tatsiana Vodolazhskaya, a sociologist, member of the Coordination Council and coordinator of the Flying University, was detained. TheBelarusian Radio-Electrical Manufacturing Workers` Trade Union (REP) trade union`s Brest branch premises and the house of its former leader Zinaida Mikhniuk were searched; she was detained in a criminal case.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs published the List of citizens of Belarus, foreign nationals, and stateless persons involved in extremist activities. It includes citizens in relation to whom there is an effective court sentence relating to their committing criminal offenses of extremist nature. At the moment of publication of the List there were 140 people on it, most of them are political prisoners, including members of the Presidium of the Coordination Council Maksim Znak and Maria Kolesnikova.
A number of logos were recognized as extremist materials, including logos of the Golos Platform, ByPOL and BYSOL initiatives, and «an image of a palm of the hand in white on a lilac background with blue patterns and the inscription «Vyasna».»
382 non-profit organizations were in the process of forced liquidation, 271 ones decided to self-liquidate in Belarus.
April 2022
Mass pressure on Belarus’ independent trade unions: an unprecedented wave of raids at the offices and leaders and activists` residences of independent Belarusian trade unions — the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDP), the Free Trade Union of Belarus (FTU), the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union (SPM), the Belarusian Radio-Electrical Manufacturing Workers` Trade Union (REP) – both in Minsk and regions. More than 20 representatives of the independent trade union movement of Belarus were detained (there is no open official information on the detainees).
The Independent Trade Union of the Mozyr Oil Refinery operating was terminated by the decision of the Mozyr City Government.
Olga Britykova, chair of the Naftan independent trade union, was sentenced to 15 days of an administrative arrest for the fifth time (her total term of administrative detention is 75 days).
The Grodno Azot independent trade union`s private chat was found extremist, and its shop steward Andrei Khanevich was detained.
A number of trade union representatives were held liable for violating the procedure for the use of foreign donations (Article 24.14 of the Code of Administrative Offences), for instance, the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union`s leader.
The KGB recognized the Sports Solidarity Fund and the Belarusian Radio-Electrical Manufacturing Workers` Trade Union (REP) as extremist formations.
At the request of the prosecutor of Minsk, access to the website of Human Rights Watch, one of the most authoritative human rights organizations in the world, was blocked in the territory of Belarus.
416 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 284 ones decided to self-liquidate.
May 2022
Human rights activist, former leader and board member of the public association Radislava Volha Harbunova was found guilty of organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order (Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code) and sentenced to three years of restraint of freedom without being sent to an open type institution.
Maryna Kisialevich, an activist of the Mothers-328 movement, was sentenced to four years of restraint of liberty and sent to an open-type institution under two defamatory articles of the Criminal Code — Article 368(2) (insulting the president) and Article 367(2) (slander against the president).
Former leader of one of the largest environmental NGOs of Belarus, Protection of Homeland Birds, Viktar Fianchuk was found guilty of «gross violation of public order» (Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code) and sentenced to 2.5 years in jail.
REP Trade Union activist Zinaida Mikhniuk was sentenced to two years in a general regime penal colony under Article 368(1) of the Criminal Code (insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus).
In a criminal case under Art. 361-4 of the Criminal Code (abetting extremist activity), eco-warrior, the Green Watch initiative`s representative, organizer of environmental protests in the city of Mozyr Pavel Nazdra and Mothers-328`s activist Liana Shuba were detained.
The Main Department for Investigation of Organized Crime and Corruption initiated one more criminal case, under Article 361-3(2) of the Criminal Code for financing and other material support of participation in an armed formation, an armed conflict or military actions in the territory of a foreign state, against Andrei Strizhak, the founder of the BYSOL initiative recognized as an extremist formation.
Systematic destruction of independent trade unions has continued: pressing on members in order to force them to leave the union; summoning for «preventive talks»; forcing to join a pro-government organization — the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus; raiding and detaining trade union activists; liquidating trade union structures, and their recognizing as extremist.
After his nomination, Maksim Pazniakou, acting chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, was detained and twice sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest. Searches were conducted in the headquarters of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BNP) in Salihorsk, BNP primary organization premises at Belaruskali, and in the union`s offices at the 2nd and 1st mining departments of Belaruskali. Aleksandr Mishuk, chair of the BNP primary organization, was detained and his residence was raided. Pavel Razumouski, BNP leader of the 1st Belaruskali mining department, was summoned for a talk to the State Security Committee (KGB).
Independent trade unions received requests to submit their documentation, including trade union members’ data, to the prosecutor’s office.
The Hrodna regional court behind closed doors deemed extremist the Grodno Azot workers` primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union.
The initiative Our House («Наш дом») was recognized as an extremist formation.
The website of the Union of Poles in Belarus nadniemnemgrodno.pl was included in the list of «extremist materials.»
The KGB updated the list of «terrorists» to include, among others, members of the Coordination Council Mariya Kolesnikova and Maksim Znak.
448 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 317 ones decided to self-liquidate.
June 2022
Expert for the analytical group of the Agency for Humanitarian Technologies, coordinator of the Flying University, senior analyst of the Center for European Transformation Tatsiana Vadalazhskaya was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment in an open type institution under article 342(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them). The court also recognized the right of Minsktrans enterprise to charge her with a pecuniary claim for disruption of public transport.
Uladzimir Matskevich, philosopher, public figure, founder of the Flying University was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a reinforced regime penal colony for organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order (Art. 342(1) of the Criminal Code), creating an extremist formation (Art. 361-1(1) of the Criminal Code), and insulting the president (Art. 368(1) of the Criminal Code).
The Belarusian Rada (council) of Culture was recognized as an extremist formation.
Websites of the initiatives By_help, Media Solidarity Belarus, BYSOL, voicesfrombelarus.com, their content on social networks (Telegram, Facebook, VKontakte, Instagram), the «platform for financing changes» website digitalsolidarity.io, its Instagram and Facebook, mobile application in App Store and Google Play, Telegram channels Young Front of Belarus and dissidentby were declared extremist.
A criminal case under Article 193-1 (organizing and participating in the activity of an unregistered organization) was brought against former head of the public charity organization Hrodna Children’s Hospice, liquidated by the decision of the Hrodna regional court of 20 August 2021, Olga Velichko (this was the third criminal case against her).
At the national seminar «Updating of Methods and Forms of Work with the Population at the Local Level,» Alexander Lukashenko spoke about «non-governmental marginal organizations» which «being motivated by the desire to help the needy and protect the nature, protecting animals, have become hostages to the destructive forces engaged by the West.» He once again pointed to the need for the authorities to understand that «society must be cleaned of these scoundrels.»
465 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 326 ones decided to self-liquidate.
July 2022
The Law of the Republic of Belarus of 20 July 2022 № 199-З «On Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus» introduced the concept of «special proceeding» defined as proceedings in a criminal case against an accused person who is outside the Republic of Belarus and evades appearing before the body conducting the criminal proceedings.
Activist Olga Yaltsevich was sentenced to two years in a general regime penal colony under Article 342(2) of the Criminal Code (financing of group actions grossly violating public order) for allegedly paying, together with other persons, fines, lawyers’ fees, state fees for filing complaints, and other material assistance to participants of unauthorized protests.
The KGB recognized as an «extremist formation» the Professional Union of Belarusians of Great Britain which had donated money and equipment to the Kastus Kalinouski Belarusian regiment in Ukraine.
Telegram chat Scientists Against Violence was recognized as extremist materials.
Mikola Sharakh, leader of the ‘Byelaruski’ Free Trade Union, was detained and sentenced to 15 days in jail.
Searches were conducted at homes of the United Civil Party (UCP) leaders Nikolai Kozlov (from late December till late March 2022 he had already spent three months in detention), Antonina Kovaleva, and Oksana Alekseeva; and they were arrested. UCP member Artur Smolyakov was not released after 15 days of administrative arrest but charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (actively participating in group actions grossly violating public order).
The Belarus 1 TV channel showed a film in which it was alleged that leaders of independent trade unions received funds from abroad without registering them with the Department for Humanitarian Activities of the Belarusian Presidential Executive Office.
At the claims of the Prosecutor General, the Supreme Court issued decisions to terminate the activities of the “Byelaruski’ Free Trade Union, the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union, Belarusian independent trade unions of mining, chemical, oil refining, energy, transport, construction, and other workers, the Belarusian Radio-Electrical Manufacturing Workers` Trade Union, as well as the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (association of trade unions).
537 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 343 ones decided to self-liquidate.
August 2022
Pavel Mazheika, Hrodna activist who headed the Center for Urban Life liquidated at the claim of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Hrodna region was detained (he had been previously detained in March 2021, but subsequently released with the wording «no grounds for detention»).
At the petition of the Prosecutor General, the Supreme Court recognized the informal organization BYPOL, with its structural subdivisions Situation-Analytical Center and Mobilization plan Peramoha, as terrorist organization.
Social networks of the Godna (godna.by) and simbal.by public campaigns; Green Portal Telegram channel and Instagram; Ecodom Telegram channel and Ecochat: for Finding Solutions to Environmental Problems, VKontakte group FOR THE SINGLE state LANGUAGE of Belarus!; website, social networks, and Youtube channel of the Belarusian Rada of Culture were recognized as extremist materials.
602 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 363 ones decided to self-liquidate.
September 2022
Registration authorities intensified their inspections of public associations and foundations accompanied by issuing written warnings to them.
Human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Uladzimir Labkovich, being in pretrial detention, faced new charges: smuggling (illegal moving across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union a large amount of cash by an organized group) under Article 228(4) of the Criminal Code and financing group actions grossly violating public order under Article 342(2) of the Criminal Code. At the same time the previous case under Article 243(2) of the Criminal Code (non-payment of taxes), due to which they spent more than a year in jail, was dropped.
Coordinator of the Human Rights Center Viasna`s volunteer service Marfa Rabkova and volunteer Andrei Chapyuk were sentenced to 15 years and six years in jail respectively (the trial lasted 4.5 months).
Environmental activist Pavel Nozdrya, representative of the Green Watch initiative was sentenced to two years in a penal colony under article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (abetting extremist activity).
The Human Rights Center Viasna`s volunteer Tatsiana Lasitsa convicted under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organizing or actively participating in group actions grossly violating public order) to 2.5 years in a general regime penal colony, who spent a year and eight months in jail, was released early from prison.
Human rights activist Nasta Loika was detained and sentenced twice to 15 days of administrative arrest. Mozyr human rights defender Uladzimir Tseliapun was detained and sentenced to administrative arrest.
A police report under Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the procedure for organizing or holdinging mass events) was drawn up against one of the leaders of the Public Association Positive Movement Tatsiana Pechko and a fine of 100 basic units (3200 BYN) was imposed on her. Sviatlana Kostenko, volunteer of the Say Yes to Life initiative`s residence was searched. There were numerous arrests, searches, and short jail terms of representatives of religious organizations.
Provisions on special proceedings (criminal proceedings against an accused person outside the Republic of Belarus) began to be implemented in practice: such proceedings were initiated against administrators of the group Black Book of Belarus recognized as an extremist formation and against human rights defender Dzmitry Salauyou, a representative of the Human Rights Center Viasna.
Telegram channel Naftan Against Extremism was recognized as extremist materials.
The Ministry of Information of Belarus restricted access to Green Portal, an information resource producing and distributing news and analytical environmental information.
The newspaper of the Presidential Administration Belarus Segodnya (SB) published another series of articles aimed at discrediting civil society organizations.
646 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 374 ones decided to self-liquidate.
October 2022
Belarus denounced the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966; accordingly, it refused to recognize the competence of the UN Human Rights Committee to accept and consider complaints from individuals alleging that the state violates any of the rights provided for in the Covenant, including the right to freedom of association.
The organization Dapamoha operating in the Republic of Lithuania and the Public Association Ecodom were considered extremist formations by the decision of the KGB (the State Security Committee).
Public activist Uladzimir Matskevich, Nasta and Zmitser Dashkevich, human rights activists Leanid Sudalenka and Tatsiana Lasica were put on the list of persons involved in extremist activities. Member of the Union of Poles Andrei Poczobut was included in the list of persons involved in terrorist activities.
Yury Mialeshkevich, former deputy chair of the Belarusian Voluntary Society for Protecting Historical and Cultural Monuments, former deputy chair of the public association BNF Adradzhenne and activist of the Movement for Freedom, was detained.
Human rights activist Nasta Loika was once again detained and sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest under Article 19.1 (disorderly conduct).
Chairperson of the primary trade union organization of the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union at MAZ enterprise Artiom Zhernak was sentenced to four years in jail under Article 361(3) (calling for restrictive measures (sanctions) and other actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus), Article 342(1) (participating in the actions violating public order), and Article 361-1 (establishing or participating in an extremist formation).
Criminal cases over financing of «extremist activity» (Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code) were initiated: Aleksandr Strugalski was detained for transferring money to the BySol fund, Anastasia Petrachenko was detained for donations to the Belarusian Kalinouski regiment.
Private educational institutions massively received orders to stop their activities.
Telegram channels KPD. Coalition of Protest Neighborhoods, Viasna: Political Prisoners of Belarus, Honest People, Honest People community on Odnoklassniki social network, Internet resources of the Belarusian Investigative Center were recognized as extremist materials.
The website of the human rights initiative Journalists for Tolerance (J4T.by / J4T.info) was blocked in Belarus.
At least seven lawsuits were filed to the Minsk City Court to suspend the activities of public associations.
667 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 390 ones decided to self-liquidate.
November 2022
Human rights defender Nasta Loika was detained for 15 days for the third time in a row (her fifth arrest for the autumn). According to Loika, she was tortured.
Among those detained were: Aliaksandr Shumchanka, former chair of the Republican Public Association Perspective liquidated by the Supreme Court on 7 September 2021 (fined 15 basic units (480 BYN) under Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences for «distributing extremist materials»), co-founder of the popular science project Smart Minsk — center of informal education for children – Sergei Savkin, colleagues of Uladzimir Matskevich Oksana Shelest and Kirill Maltsev, deputy head of the public association Minsk Cycling Society Maksim Puchinsky (charged under Article 342 of the Criminal Code).
A series of searches were conducted all over Belarus in relation to former activists of the liquidated Movement For Freedom. Some of them were subjected to administrative arrests after the searches.
Olga Britykova, leader of the Naftan independent trade union was detained again and twice sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest under Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences for distributing extremist materials (in spring 2022, she had spent a total of 75 days of administrative arrest).
Country for Life Foundation`s volunteers Anton Stashevsky and Marina Dubrovskaya were sentenced to eight years in a penal colony with a reinforced regime under Article 357(1) of the Criminal Code (conspiracy to seize power unconstitutionally) and to 1.5 years in a general regime colony under Article 342(2) (training and preparing individuals to participate in activities grossly violating public order, as well as financing and ther material supporting). Yulia Syrykh and Tatsiana Ostrovskaya, who were also on the wanted list in this case, were able to flee Belarus after almost a year of imprisonment.
Leaders of the United Civil Party were sentenced to imprisonment in a general regime penal colony under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them): Antanina Kavaliova to a year, Aksana Aliakseyeva to a year and a half, Artur Smolyakov to two years, Nikolai Kozlov additionally charged under Article 407 (disclosure of data of initial inquiry, preliminary investigation, or a closed trial) to two years and six months.
Chairperson of the primary trade union organization at Belaruskali Aleksandr Mishuk was sentenced under Article 361(1) of the Criminal Code (calling to restrictive measures (sanctions) and other actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus) to two years and six months in a general regime penal colony for speaking to workers of Belaruskali «for the purpose of establishing a strike committee.»
Yanina Malash, activist of the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union, was sentenced to one and a half years in prison under Article 342 of the Criminal Code, Andrei Khanevich, chair of the primary organization of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union of employees of Grodno Azot, was sentenced to five years in prison under Article 369-1 of the Criminal Code (discrediting the Republic of Belarus) and Article 361-4 (abetting extremist activities), and the Free Metal Workers` Trade Union`s secretary Mikhail Gromov was sentenced to two years and six months of restraint of liberty without sending to an open institution (so called «home chemistry») under Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them).
Detentions for «financing of extremist activity» continued.
Aleksandr Ziyazetdinov was sentenced to three years in a general regime penal colony under Article 361-2(1) of Criminal Code (financing of extremist formation activities) for transferring 0.2 ether (about $800) to BYPOL cryptocurrency in May 2021.
Members of the Union of Belarusian Students (ZBS) Yegor Kanetsky, Yana Orobeiko, Kasia Budzko, Ksenia Syromolot, and Alana Gebremariam (member of the main staff of the opposition Coordination Council) were released due to serving their full sentences (2.5 years in a general regime penal colony).
Union of Belarusian National Shield and Paspalitaye Rushanne (as stated in the official list, this is a group of citizens under the leadership of extremist formations «BYPOL» / Mobilization plan Peramoha and the United Transitional Cabinet) and the foundation Country for Life were recognized as extremist formations by the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Instagram accounts @viasna96 (previously already recognized as extremist), @freebelaruscenter, the one of the project August2020 which posted stories of people who suffered from torture at the hands of security forces, Telegram chat Independent Trade Union of Gomel were listed as «extremist materials.»
699 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 403 ones decided to self-liquidate.
December 2022
Oksana Zaretskaya, founder of the School of Business Culture and Etiquette and member of the main staff of the Coordination Council, was detained under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them).
On 14 December, human rights defender Nasta Loika was sentenced for the fourth time in a row to 15 days of administrative arrest under Article 19.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (disorderly conduct) spending 60 days in custody uninterruptedly. Then, she was criminally charged.
A sentence passed in the case of Civil Self-Defense Units of Belarus punished its five defendants with imprisonment from 13 to 20 years.
Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDP) Aleksandr Yaroshuk was sentenced to four years in a general regime penal colony, his deputy Sergei Antusevich to two years, and its bookkeeper Irina But-Husaim to 1.5 years under Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them); Yaroshuk was also charged under Article 361(3) (calling for restrictive measures, other actions aimed at damaging the national security of the Republic of Belarus).
The first sentence in a special proceeding was pronounced. Former head of the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) Aleksandra Gerasimenia was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment in a general regime colony and the Foundation’s executive director Alexander Opeikin to 12 years’ imprisonment in a penal colony with a reinforced regime under Article 361(2) of the Criminal Code (calling for restrictive measures, other actions aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus), with their joint property damage.
The practice of discrediting civil society in the official media, such as the Presidential Administration’s newspaper Belarus. Segodnya, continued.
Lukashenka stated that «only the parties that act in conformity with the basic principles of the internal and foreign policy should work on the political field of the country.”
Agreements were underway to harmonize the Belarusian and Russian legislation on NGO financing, in particular, to remove restrictions on NGOs receiving funding from each of the countries.
Telegram channels Student Movement of Gomel, Viasna/Human Rights in Belarus, Coordination Council, and website https://rada.vision were recognized as extremist materials.
757 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 416 ones decided to self-liquidate.