Belarusian Judicial System Continues Targeting Lukashenko Opponents

UN experts announced that Belarusian state institutions have jointly suppressed government critics since 2020. These institutions include courts, police, security services, the prosecutor's office, and prison officials, all collaborating to silence real or perceived opponents of Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus who has been in power since 1994.

Systematic Human Rights Violations

In a report set to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council, experts highlighted cases including arbitrary detentions, torture, failure to uphold legal guarantees, closed trials, and ongoing harassment of former prisoners. The report states that "the patterns of violations described in this report continue" and the judiciary has played a key role in legitimizing these abuses and failing to provide effective remedies for victims.

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Belarus's Lack of Cooperation with International Experts

According to the report, Belarus has rejected UN criticisms regarding its human rights record and has not responded to experts' requests to visit the country and engage with officials. Experts also stated that Belarus has violated several international treaties and some of the abuses since May 2020 could be considered crimes against humanity.

These findings come three years after the onset of widespread protests against the results of the August 2020 presidential election, in which Lukashenko was re-elected. Opponents and Western governments have called this election fraudulent. Following the crackdown on protesters, thousands were detained, and human rights groups continue to document political prisoners in the country.

While Lukashenko denies the existence of political prisoners and describes them as "criminal gangs," Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former political prisoner, has stated that despite recent releases of prisoners achieved through U.S. interactions with Minsk, "the repression machine continues to operate."

On Tuesday, John Koval, a U.S. representative, visited Minsk for the first time in six months to negotiate the release of political prisoners with Lukashenko. According to the Belarusian human rights group, more than 900 political prisoners remain in the country.

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