“Extremist” University and 10,000 Banned Resources. Belarusian Human Rights Defenders Release Review for Second Quarter

Human Constanta has released a review of the application of legislation on “countering extremism” in Belarus from April to June 2026. Human rights defenders note that the practice of repression on this basis continues to expand and affects education, civil society, culture and everyday life.

One of the most notable events of the quarter, human rights defenders say, was the designation of the European Humanities University as an “extremist organization.” After that, tuition payments to the university may be classified as “financing extremist activities.” Students are being forced to withdraw, while more than 60 searches have been conducted at the homes of EHU graduates.

Over the three months, the list of “extremist materials” in Belarus exceeded 10,000 entries. During this period, it included chats where relatives of political prisoners discussed everyday matters and the delivery of parcels.

Human rights defenders also draw attention to cases in which deceased people were added to “extremist” lists. Among them were activists, as well as a person who died several years before the creation of the organization to which he was “linked.”

According to Human Constanta, donations of 10-50 euros, as well as comments posted several years ago, can become grounds for prosecution. The practice of combating “extremism” is also extending to children. Teachers are being trained to pay attention to symbols on backpacks and schoolchildren’s nicknames on social media.

According to human rights defenders, a pardon does not mean rehabilitation: some people released from prison have already become defendants in new criminal cases.

The authors of the study note that the totality of these cases points to a further expansion of the scope of anti-extremism legislation. In their assessment, the concept of “extremism” is used not only in relation to violent crimes, but also in connection with educational activities, online communication and various forms of civic activism.

The full review is available at the link.