“This is not a sign of a thaw.” Viasna human rights defenders on how the regime is destroying evidence of its crimes
For many years, the Lukashenka regime has been taking various measures to hide the traces of its crimes and keep people in fear so that information about the repression does not come out. In recent years, human rights defenders have faced harassment for exercising public control, intimidation of people for contacting Viasna, and restriction of access to government websites with information about administrative and criminal prosecution in the country. Such actions by the regime significantly complicate the work of human rights defenders, but do not stop it. Viasna explains why the authorities have once again concealed information about the repression and why this does not indicate an improvement in the human rights situation in Belarus.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117714
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the persecution of Belarusians abroad
On April 3, members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution at a plenary session On the Immediate Risk of Further Repression by the Lukashenka Regime in Belarus — Threats from the Investigative Committee, Reform reported today. The majority of deputies voted for the adoption of the resolution.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117729
“You don’t exist in Belarus”. How the authorities control pardoned political prisoners
Since July 2024, 258 political prisoners, including 187 men and 71 women, have been released by pardon in Belarus. At the same time, as of January 20, 2025, at least 282 political prisoners with serious diseases are still behind bars. Under the threat of increased repression, the administration of penal colonies constantly pressures political prisoners and forces them to sign a petition for clemency. Upon release, the former prisoners cannot return to their normal, full lives. Instead of assistance from the authorities in the process of socialization, they face numerous restrictions and control by the police and other control bodies, with a ban on working and leaving their place of residence. Some former political prisoners eventually decide to leave the country in order to live a full life.
We recall which political prisoners have been pardoned in recent years and the conditions under which the process took place. Together with the legal service of Viasna, we tell how former political prisoners are controlled in Belarus after the pardon.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117662
The UN expressed concerns about the treatment of women in Belarusian prisons
On March 26 independent human rights experts, including Nils Muižnieks, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus and the Working Groups on Arbitrary Detention and Enforced Disappearances, urged Belarusian authorities to address persistent allegations of ill-treatment of women held in penal colonies.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117680
Human rights organizations submit evidence of crimes against humanity in Belarus to the International Criminal Court
On 20 March 2025, six Belarusian and international civil society organizations – the Center for Global Justice and Human Rights “M.A.R.A.”, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Human Rights Center “Viasna”, the International Committee for the Investigation of Torture in Belarus, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and Human Constanta – submitted evidence of potential crimes against humanity committed by the Belarusian authorities to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117684
“Reaction to public resistance”. At least 258 people sentenced for “extremist formations” in Belarus
In recent years, the Lukashenka regime has made extensive use of anti-extremist legislation to persecute dissidents. As of March 27, 2025, the KGB and the Interior Ministry recognized 269 “extremist formations” in Belarus. According to Viasna, at least 258 people have been convicted of “creation of an extremist formation or participation in it” in Belarus, 58 of them in absentia. Politicians and journalists, activists, cultural figures and ordinary citizens were convicted under Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code. Who falls under criminal prosecution, what changes in the legislation have strengthened it, what to do in case of prosecution and seizure of property – Sviatlana Halauniova, a lawyer from Viasna, will assist in the analysis of the material.
https://spring96.org/en/news/117694