Belarusian-American 501(c)(3) non-profit
OPPRESSION OF THE BELARUSIAN PEOPLE
.png/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:100%25/rs=w:806,h:806)
When you hear the word "Europe," what is the first thing that comes to mind? One might instantly think of cultural diversity, gourmet food, picturesque landscapes, and respect for human rights. While the above would accurately portray most European countries, it is worth noting that not all Europe is politically liberated. For example, Belarus is the 13th largest country in Europe that borders Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia and is often referred to by the media as Europe's last dictatorship.
Amnesty International reports severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in Belarus. Minorities face discrimination, and the justice system is used to silence dissent. Torture and ill-treatment are reportedly endemic and carried out with impunity. There are still death sentences being handed down, and Lukashenka sometimes uses them to kill the most prominent opposition figures in the country to maintain his authority.
Belarusian people live in fear because of Alexander Lukashenka's practice of imprisoning people for their political opinions. Currently, more than 1,400 political prisoners are being mercilessly abused by the government in prisons. And detentions continue every day. But when did the oppression of Belarusians start?
The milestone of the Belarusian dystopia began in 1994 when Lukashenka became the president of Belarus. In 1995, a year after his election, Lukashenka initiated the first referendum. The opposition in parliament reacted extremely negatively, as the referendum proposed changing state symbols and giving the Russian language state language status. On the night of April 12, 1995, under Lukashenka's order, security forces were brought into the parliament building, where they allegedly beat and forcibly removed protesting deputies. As soon as in 1996, Lukashenka made another referendum to expand further and facilitate his power. Since then, unfortunately, Lukashenka has been in power, creating an authoritarian government dismissing the aspirations of Belarusian people for freedom and democracy. Currently, in addition to harassing, jailing, and even torturing critics, Lukashenka's regime also arrests journalists and destroys independent media outlets. Some activists have vanished, and others have fled to avoid imprisonment.
Unfortunately, the situation only worsened. The most horrifying era in Belarus began in 2020, during the presidential elections. That year saw the largest anti-government protests against Lukashenka, who was seeking his sixth term in office. Lukashenka falsified the elections and self-proclaimed himself as a president, remorselessly repressing the opposition and making the most outstanding Belarusian political leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya flee the country to stay alive and protect her kids. Her husband was already incarcerated for trying to advocate for Belarusian freedom. Still, as a strong and courageous woman, she did her best to give Belarusians at least a tiny glimmer of hope.
Belarusian people were furious with the outcome; it was the era of despair in the country. Depressed eyes of people on the streets, crying parents not knowing how to explain the situation to their kids, and everyday brutal beating of the peaceful people carried by the military police. Getting outside of one’s house was dangerous; however, Belarusians had enough courage to continue fighting for their freedom.
Authorities are still violently persecuting the protesters of 2020. The UN Human Rights Office reported that it had documented over 450 cases of torture, ill-treatment, and sexual abuse of detainees. Viasna Human Rights Centre documented 1,000 torture victim testimonies by the end of 2020. The most grievous fact is that, according to a report published by Dissidentby, at least 23 people (presumably 27) have been murdered by the regime of Lukashenka.
The situation in Belarus has not gotten any better since then. Hundreds of thousands fled the country and sought political asylum abroad, with no opportunity to return home. As stated by the United Nations, it is currently unsafe to return to Belarus because of the ongoing arrests of people for their political opinions.
Another form of discrimination that Belarusians endure under the current regime is the prosecution for speaking the Belarusian language, which is, in reality, the actual native language of Belarusians. Lukashenka tries to erase Belarusian identity by promoting the Russian language and actively suppressing the Belarusian one. The Belarusian language is under severe attack at this point; UNESCO even included the Belarusian in the list of endangered or vulnerable languages. Police regularly arrest people for simply speaking Belarusian, lock them up in solitary confinements, and interrogate them to make them speak the “proper” Russian language. For example, as mentioned in Mova 404, written by human rights activist Alina Nahornaja, there’s a case of the police derogatorily calling Belarusian-speaking people "scumbags," detaining and brutally beating for speaking Belarusian, resulting in long-lasting health issues. It is tough to promote the Belarusian language in Belarus at this point, as the authoritarian regime actively represses any initiatives related to the native language promotion, such as, for instance, shutting down the local bookstore selling books in Belarusian, confiscating 200 books, and arresting the owner. Currently, Belarusians can use the Belarusian language as a way of protesting against the regime’s dominance and oppression. While the Dictator’s regime actively tries to silence the Belarusian-speaking Belarusians, people still find the courage and determination to continue using and spreading awareness about the native language.
Additionally, the Belarusian self-proclaimed government continues to bring up new laws that severely restrict the freedom and human rights of the citizens of Belarus. For example, LGBTQ+ people are among the most vulnerable minorities in the country under the current regime. According to Human Rights Watch, “Belarus has hit a new low in its targeting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.” After a new anti-LGBT law was passed on 11 April 2024, any representation of the LGBT community is equal to pornography and will be severely punished. Prohibiting the representation of the LGBT community means that even if a person posts a picture with LGBT symbols or holds their partner’s hand in public, all of it will be treated as a representation of non-traditional relationships and pornography. Furthermore, the Belarusian authorities propose that homosexual relationships should be treated on a par with zoophilia, necrophilia, and sadism. Living in constant fear for their safety, Belarus' LGBTQ+ community is forced to either live in silence or flee the country seeking asylum.
The relentless oppression has left the Belarusian people vulnerable, but their resilience and courage are the beacon of hope. Although Belarusians live under the regime that silences their voices and restricts their rights, they continue to dream of a future where freedom and justice exist. The international community must stand in solidarity with Belarus, amplifying Belarusian cries for help and advocating for their fundamental human rights.
As Belarusians, we remind the world that our fight for freedom and democracy is a shared responsibility. Our unyielding courage in the face of tyranny embodies the true spirit of humanity. We call on the global community to stand with us, ensuring hope and liberty prevail even in the darkest times.
Tsimafei Housa (Timothy)
Berea College student & ABA volunteer