January 2023
Andrei Dmitriev, former co-chair of the Tell the Truth movement, was detained. He was charged under Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code (organizing and preparing actions grossly violating public order or actively participating in them).
Former leader of the Belarusian Radio-Electrical Manufacturing Workers` Trade Union (REP) Henadz Fiadynich and leader of the Orsha REP branch, acting REP chairperson Vasil Berasneu were sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment in a colony with a reinforced regime, REP`s activist Vatslau Areshka to eight years’ imprisonment in a general regime colony for restrictive measures aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus (Art. 361(3) of the Criminal Code), inciting social hatred and enmity (Art. 130(3) of the Criminal Code), and establishing an extremist formation or participating in it ( 361-1(1, 3) of the Criminal Code).
18 people were included on the «List of persons in respect of whom special proceedings were initiated and being summoned to a criminal authority.»
The management of major IT companies received lists of their employees who had donated to solidarity funds, in particular BYPOL and BYSOL, via Facebook, with a proposition for them to come to the State Security Committee for a talk.
Telegram chat Independent Trade Union of Gomel, Youtube channel BYPOL — Union of Belarusian Security Men, visual material (image, logo, digital watermark, etc.) and text «BYPOL» regardless of the medium, website Our House, Telegram channels Rabochy Rukh, KPD. Coalition of Protest Neighborhoods, Rabochy Rukh Instagram account, Malady Front VKontakte community, 21 web-resources of the HRC Viasna and its regional branches, Youtube channel Alliance of Belarus` Investigators were recognized as extremist materials.
The practice of discrediting civil society organizations by the pro-government mass media, in particular by the Presidential Administration’s newspaper Belarus. Segodnya. This time it targeted the leaders of the forcibly liquidated public association Radislava as well as human rights activists of the Human Rights Center Viasna.
The Law of the Republic of Belarus of 3 January 2023 № 240-З «On confiscation of property» regulates the procedure for confiscation of property in the territory of the Republic of Belarus from foreign states, persons from foreign states and their affiliated persons who commit unfriendly acts towards Belarusian legal or natural persons. Herewith, the law does not define the notion of «unfriendly acts.»
The Law of the Republic of Belarus of 5 January 2023 No. 242-Z «On Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Belarus ‘On Citizenship of the Republic of Belarus’» extended the grounds for loss of citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, in particular, acquired by birth, due to an effective Belarus` court sentence confirming participation of a person in extremist activities or causing serious harm to the interests of the country, if this person is abroad.
768 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 421 ones decided to self-liquidate.
February 2023
Tatsiana Zhuravskaya, chair of the republican public association People Plus was detained.
Member of the Union of Poles Andrei Poczobut was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment in a reinforced regime penal colony under Article 361 (calling to acts aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus) and Article 130 (inciting of enmity or discord) of the Criminal Code.
Ten people were sentenced to terms of up 11 to 15 years in prison under Article 356 of the Criminal Code (treason against the state), Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (establishing an extremist formation or participating in it), several defendants were also charged under Article 188 (slander) and one of them under Article 295 of the Criminal Code (illegal actions with firearms, ammunition, and explosives) in the «Rabochy Rukh case.»
The Minsk Tsentralny District Court considered an appeal against the decision of the KGB to recognize Rabochy Rukh as an extremist formation. The complaint was not satisfied.
People continued to be summoned to the KGB departments for their donations via Facebook to solidarity funds. Those who came to such talks were told about possible prosecution for abetting extremist activities, forced to write confessions about their donations to «extremist funds» and obliged to transfer large amounts of money mainly in support of state social institutions.
The website, Telegram channel, Telegram chat, YouTube, Instagram, and VKontakte community of Honest People, Telegram chat «Гарадзенская праваабарона»/Haradzenskaya Pravaabarona» were recognized as extremist materials.
The practice of discrediting civil society organizations in the pro-governmental media continued: once again a libel was published against environmental organizations.
The law of the Republic of Belarus of 14 February 2023 No. 251-З «On Amending Laws on the Activities of Political Parties and Other Public Associations» was adopted which in general changed neither the procedure for registration, nor the procedure for activity of public associations. They must bring their statutes in conformity with the new requirements of the law (mainly the republican associations to be affected, because the new requirements demand that they have registered structures in most regions of Belarus and Minsk). The necessity of re-registration was established for political parties (two pro-governmental parties meet the criteria for the re-registration). The minimal number of party founders (members) was increased from 1,000 to 5,000 people, and the obligatory presence of their organizational structures in all regions and Minsk, as well as in at least one third of districts of each region and in at least in one third of districts of Minsk were established.
The Presidential Decree No. 25 of 6 February 2023 «On Consideration of Appeals of Belarusian Citizens Being Abroad Regarding Their Committing Offenses» established a Commission for Сonsideration of Appeals of Belarusian Citizens Being Abroad Regarding Their Committing Offenses. The appeals must contain, among other things, the reasons why a person left the country and the circumstances due to which he/she believes that he/she may be held criminally or administratively liable.
The Law of the Republic of Belarus of 14 February 2023 «On the Essentials of Civil Society» provided for special forms of cooperation with the state for a narrow circle of republican public associations (five associations meet the criteria) within the framework of the All-Belarusian People’s Assembly (ABPA).
797 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 432 ones decided to self-liquidate.
March 2023
The Human Rights Center Viasna`s activists were sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony with a reinforced regime: Ales Bialiatski to ten years, Valiantsin Stefanovich to nine years, Uladzimir Labkovich to seven years, and Dzmitry Salauyeu (in absentia) to eight years under Article 228(4) of the Criminal Code (smuggling — illegal transportation of large amounts of cash across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union by an organized group) and under Article 342(2) of the Criminal Code (financing of group actions grossly violating public order). They were sentenced to heavy fines, and an order was issued to collect solidarily from them the amount of 752,438.62 Belarusian rubles (almost $297,650) that they allegedly «had obtained by criminal means» through «smuggling by an organized criminal group.»
Maksim Puchynski, deputy director of the Minsk Cycling Society, was sentenced to two years and six months of restraint of liberty without sending to an open institution («home chemistry») under part Article 342(1) of the Criminal Code (actively participating in the group actions grossly violating public order).
Tatsiana Kuzina, board member and co-founder of the Sympa school for young managers of public administration, expert of the bipart research project, and Valeriya Kostyugova, founder and editor of the expert community Nashe Mnenie website and head of the monitoring expert group Belarus in Focus were sentenced behind the closed doors to ten years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony under Article 357(1) (aiding and abetting to actions aimed at seizure of power), Article 361(3) (appealing to actions aimed at harming the national security) and Article 130(3) (inciting social enmity and discord).
Chair of the ‘Byelaruski’ Free Trade Union Mikolai Sharakh was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest.
Telegram channel Vitsebskaya Viasna, website Berastseyskaya Viasna, Vkontakte community Center for New Ideas, Instagram account Antifund. Assistance to political prisoners in Belarus were recognized as extremist materials.
One of the largest Belarusian CSOs, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) forcibly liquidated in August 2021, was recognized as an extremist formation.
«Summonses for talks», searches and detentions in connection with donations to «solidarity funds» and «financing of extremist activities» continued.
809 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 440 ones decided to self-liquidate.
April 2023
The co-chair of the association «Tell the Truth» and former presidential candidate Andrey Dzmitryeu was sentenced to 1.5 years of imprisonment under part 1 of article 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order or active participation in them).
The head of the Belarusian Union of Poles Anzhalika Borys, who spent more than a year in a detention centre on charges of incitement of hatred and rehabilitation of Nazism by a group of persons, was released from house arrest. The criminal case against her was dropped «due to lack of corpus delicti».
The prosecution of citizens for allegedly financing extremist activities — donations to extremist formations — continues.
824 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 459 ones decided to self-liquidate.
May 2023
The practice of forcing registered public associations to expel certain citizens from their membership is widespread.
Searches, detentions, and summonses of representatives of civil society organizations to the security agencies for a «talks» continue.
Symbal.by founder Pavel Belavus is sentenced to 13 years in a reinforced regime colony under, inter alia, art. 361 part 11 (leadership of the extremist formation — the Belarusian Culture Board, recognized as extremist seven months after his detention). His property was seized for a total sum of more than 50 thousand Belarusian rubles.
Activist, art-manager Uladzimir Bulauski, was sentenced to 2 years in a general regime colony under Article 3422 of the Criminal Code (repeated violation of the order of organisation or holding of mass events).
Human rights defenders Marfa (Marya) Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk (previously included in the list of persons involved in terrorist activities), activists of the independent trade union REP Henadz Fiadynich, Vasil Berasnieu and Vatslau Areshka were included in the list of persons involved in extremist activities. The «Fundacja ‘Reka Wielkej Pomocy'» was recognized as an extremist formation. Telegram chat «Valantsyorskaya Sluzhba PC «Viasna», the «Viasna» page on the photo-hosting platform Flickr, 7 Telegram chats and channels, the Instagram account viasnabrest, the community «cbshelp» of the «Center for Belarusian Solidarity», the «Belarusian Youth Hub in Warsaw» and others were recognized as extremist materials.
The party of «Lukashenka’s supporters» «Belaya Rus» was registered.
The Law «On the foundations of the civil society», which in fact established a hierarchy of non-governmental organizations depending on their interaction with the state, came into force (5 organizations are considered eligible for «special forms of interaction» within the framework of the All-Belarus People’s Assembly.).
845 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 470 ones decided to self-liquidate.
June 2023
The practice of exclusion from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs (USR) public associations that had not completed the liquidation process, including those that have property on their balance sheet, has become widespread.
Mass administrative detentions, searches, interrogations, summonses «for a talk», criminal prosecution, refusals to pass through the border from the territory of Belarus continue. A tent camp organized by the Public Association «Christian Community of Adults and Youth» in the village of Panyamoncy (Hrodna region) was closed.
Human rights defender Nasta (Anastasia) Loika was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in a correctional colony of the general regime under Part 3 of Article 130 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus «inciting racial, national, religious, or other social enmity or discord»), among others for preparing a report on human rights, specifically addressing the persecution of the anarchist community in Belarus by the state.
Activist of the Union of Poles, Andrey Pachobut, the founder of Symbal.by, Pavel Belavus (previously listed as involved in terrorist activities), and activist/art manager Uladzimir Bulauski were included in the list of persons involved in extremist activities..
The initiative «SYMPA» (School of Young Public Administration Managers «SYMPA») was recognized as an extremist formation. The information products posted in the accounts, social networks «Homelskaya Viasna», «Paleskaya Viasna», «Vitsiebskaya Viasna», «Viasna Pravabaronchaya», Telegram channel «Tsentr Belaruskaya Salidarnastsi», website, social networks and logo of the Belarusian Association of Journalists and others were classified as extremist materials.
854 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 483 ones decided to self-liquidate.
July 2023
The former director of the crowdfunding platforms Ulej and MolaMola, Eduard Babaryka, was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony with strengthened security conditions under Article 130, Part 3 (incitement to social enmity), Article 243, Part 2 (tax evasion) and Article 16, Part 6, and Article 342 (organizing actions that grossly violate public order) of the Criminal Code.
A cultural figure and Hrodna activist, Pavel Mazheika, who headed the institution «City Life Center,» was sentenced to 6 years in a penal colony with strengthened security conditions under Article 361-4, Part 2, of the Criminal Code (repeated involvement in extremist activities in collusion with a group of people).
Unprecedented pressure is exerted on representatives of religious organizations (searches, detentions). The building of the New Life Church in Minsk was destroyed by the decision of the state structures.
Maryia Maroz, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, Volha Kavalkova, and Siarhei Dyleuski. sentenced in absentia as part of a criminal case related to the Coordination Council were included were included in the list of persons involved in extremist activities.
The information products posted in different accounts, social networks of the Belarusian Youth Council «Rada»; the initiative «Dissidentby», the Sports Solidarity Foundation, «SYMPA», «the Legal Initiative», «the International Committee for Investigation of Tortures in Belarus», «the Association of relatives and former political prisoners» and others were recognized as extremist materials.
880 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 492 ones decided to self-liquidate.
August 2023
People are continuously summoned to the State Security Committee for allegedly financing extremist formations, even for making online donations of very small amounts.
The former chairwoman of the independent trade union at OJSC «Naftan» Volha Brytsikava and
Aliaksandr Kukharenka, a Naftan strike committee member, who had previously faced multiple administrative detentions, were detained under Article 361, Part 2 of the Criminal Code (calls for sanctions and other actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus).
Member of the Council and co-founder of the School of Young Public Administration Managers Sympa, expert of the research project bipart Tatsiana Kuzina and founder and editor of the expert community website «Our Opinion,» head of the expert monitoring group «Belarus in Focus» Valeryia Kastsiuhova were included in the list of persons involved in extremist activities.
The Human Rights Center «Viasna» and «Homiel Viasna» have been declared extremist formations. Some information resources of the «Association of Belarusian Students (ZBS)», the Alliance of Investigators of Belarus, the church «New Life», the site «Kosht Urada» and others were recognized as extremist materials.
900 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 507 ones decided to self-liquidate.
September 2023
4 pro-governmental political parties remained in the country as a result of the past re-registration of political parties (all opposition political parties have been liquidated).
The Association of Belarusian Students (Zadzinochanne belaruskih studentau) and its social networks were recognized as an extremist formation, and the Belarusian Investigative Center (an organization based in the Czech Republic) was recognized as an extremist organization. Among others, the social network Facebook page Belaruskaya Pravabaronchaya shkola» (Belarusian Rights defending School) and the Telegram-channel «Tsentr novykh idei» (the New Ideas Centre) were classified as extremist materials.
923 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 518 ones decided to self-liquidate.
October 2023
The draft law «On amending laws on the activities of religious organizations» was adopted in the first reading, providing for re-registration of all religious organizations in Belarus.
A criminal case was initiated against the participants of the live broadcast «Online marathon of solidarity with political prisoners «We do care» under Article 3612 of the Criminal Code for financing extremist activity (video content with this title has been recognized as extremist).
The Prosecutor General’s Office opened criminal proceedings against so-called the unlawful activities of the pro-Nazi extremist formation «The Council of the Belarusian People’s Republic» (Rada BNR) under, inter alia, part 1 of article 3611 of the Criminal Code (leading an extremist formation, as well as a formation whose activities are aimed at rehabilitating Nazism, or participation in it).
The Union of Mothers of Belarus and the Association of Belarusian Business Abroad were recognized as extremist formations. Some information resources, including Politzek.me, «Viasna | Brest», «PRASTORA KH» and others, are classified as extremist materials.
931 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation (including a religious organization — the Religious Community of Full Gospel Christians «New Life Church»), and 526 ones decided to self-liquidate.
November 2023
Concerning the human rights activist, chairman of the Homiel branch of the Human Rights Center «Viasna» Leanid Sudalenka, sentenced to three years of imprisonment in a general regime colony under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code and fully served his term of imprisonment, a new criminal case was opened for “ assistance to extremist activities” (Article 3614 of the Criminal Code).
A number of regional human rights defenders were detained, some of them have been placed under administrative arrest.
More than 130 searches on the «case of the Coordinating Council» were conducted all over Belarus. Personal property of many activists was arrested after the search.
949 non-profit organizations in Belarus were in the process of forced liquidation and 532 ones decided to self-liquidate.