Amnesty International on Friday urged Belarusian authorities to end their cycle of repression in light of the upcoming presidential election on January 26.
The human rights organization claims President Alexander Lukashenko’s government is denying the Belarusian population the right to free speech by applying repressive measures such as arbitrary detentions, torture and criminalization of free speech against its citizens. Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia director Marie Struthers said: “Through a brutal campaign against all dissent, the authorities have created a suffocating climate of fear, silencing anything and anyone who challenges the government.”
The group said the abuse of anti-extremism legislation is also part of the government’s efforts to suppress dissent. Amnesty International reported that 6,565 online resources, including international news sources, have been categorized as “extremist,” hindering the right to free speech.
Struthers urged the international community to protect Belarusian citizens’ right to vote and to hold the Belarusian authorities accountable for the repression.
President Lukashenko, who has been in power in Belarus since 1994, has faced criticism since he is expected to be re-elected in the upcoming elections. The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has recently filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Lukashenko for crimes against humanity. Jeanne Cavelier, head of the RSF Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, stated:
The electoral farce will likely proceed without a hitch, free from the counterweight of independent media, ensuring Lukashenko’s victory over four puppet candidates. For five years, the Belarusian regime has systematically persecuted independent voices, starting with journalists. To combat this glaring impunity, RSF is filing a complaint for crimes against humanity committed against Belarusian journalists.
Belarusian human rights groups detail that by December 2024, Belarus had 1,265 political prisoners. Amnesty International confirmed more than 50,000 individuals have faced arbitrary detentions, with human rights defenders being particularly targeted.
In December 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also demanded Lukashenko’s government release imprisoned journalists and protect the right to free expression.
