The year was characterized by recurrent peaceful protests, with the presidential election in August serving as a catalyst for the most egregious crackdown on freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association in Belarus’ post-independence history. Opposition candidates, their campaign teams...

Covid-19, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and widespread reliance on “traditional values” have compounded a deteriorating human rights situation and increasing levels of domestic violence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This report exposes institutional, social and cultural challenges...

The rapid relief effort at the border, exceptional generosity of civil society and willingness of Polish authorities to receive people fleeing from Ukraine contrast starkly with the Polish government’s hostility toward refugees and migrants who have arrived in the country via Belarus since July...

This joint letter from a number of civil society organisations urges the renewal of the mandate of the OHCHR examination on Belarus, during the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council.

18 international organizations call on Belarusian authorities to immediately annul the outrageous verdict and drop all charges against Sudalenka and Lasitsa, as well as five other members of Viasna who are currently in jail on politically motivated charges.

Case poster for Mikita Zalatarou’s Write for Rights case

Case card for Mikita Zalatarou’s Write for Rights case

A new cooperation agreement between the security services of Georgia and Belarus should not be used to crackdown on freedom of expression and the right to privacy. The agreement on cooperation between the State Security Committee of Belarus and State Security Services of Georgia which came into...

A year on from the presidential elections in Belarus over 30,000 people have been detained in violation of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. Allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in detention are widespread. Hundreds of civil society activists, human rights defenders, protest...

In this, the final briefing in Amnesty International’s #StandWithBelarus campaign, we highlight the role Belarusian athletes have played in bringing to the world’s attention human rights violations committed by the government. Sport administration is under direct government control in Belarus and...

The Human Rights Council at its 47th session will consider the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus. As Belarus’s human rights crisis deepens, the mandate is more important than ever. We, the undersigned international and Belarusian...

Amnesty International is extremely concerned about the news that Viktar Paulau, who was sentenced to death in July 2019, has most probably been executed. This worrying news follows the presidential decision to grant clemency to two young brothers, Stanislau and Illia Kostseu, who had been on death...

Students and teachers across Belarus started the academic year on 1 September 2020 in a country that had been radically transformed by events over the summer. They were at the heart of the peaceful protests and started the new term with marches across the country and other manifestations of...