The Viasna Human Rights Centre published an overview of the human rights situation in Belarus in August. Human rights defenders continue to assess the situation as critical. Repression in the country remains systematic, while the authorities continue to expand practices of political and cross-border persecution.
According to Viasna, 889 political prisoners, including 124 women, were being held in places of detention at the end of August. Another 16 people were recognised as political prisoners during the month. In addition, human rights defenders called for the rehabilitation of 20 former political prisoners whose cases became known after their release from detention. The number of former political prisoners reached 3,953, including 779 women.
At least 185 political prisoners are in a vulnerable situation because of their health, age or conditions of detention. Human rights defenders are particularly concerned about Zhanna Auramchyk, Maksim Shukanau, Viachaslau Areshka, Uladzimir Hundar, Dzianis Salmanovich, and Stsiapan Latypau. The review also reports continuing cases of torture and cruel and degrading treatment in places of detention.
According to human rights defenders’ estimates, since 2020 at least 10,058 people have faced politically motivated criminal prosecution, while at least 8,696 have been convicted, including in absentia. More than 100,000 acts of repression have been recorded over the past six years. During this period, 4,602 people were recognised as political prisoners, while nine political prisoners died in detention.
Since 2020, pardons have affected 886 political prisoners, with human rights defenders aware of the names of 650 of them.
The persecution of people over statements and online activity continued in August. In particular, a resident of Navapolatsk was sentenced to three years in prison for insulting Lukashenka, while a criminal case was opened against a resident of Liozna under an article concerning the insult of a government official.
Pressure on former political prisoners and their relatives also continued. Human rights defenders reported summonses to the police, attempts to persuade people to cooperate, threats to restrict their ability to leave the country, as well as attempts by Belarusian security services to establish contact with former political prisoners living abroad.
Cross-border persecution continued. More than 5,000 Belarusians have been placed on an interstate wanted list through the CIS and are included in Russia’s wanted database. They include journalists, human rights defenders and activists.
Online activity by individuals who may be linked to the Belarusian security services targeting activists in exile was recorded. In particular, reports emerged of information being collected about the “New Belarus” conference organised by the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Attempts to recruit representatives of the Coordination Council had been recorded previously.
The authorities also continue to use “extremism” legislation to restrict the activities of independent organisations and media outlets. In August, the list of extremist materials was expanded on the basis of 110 court rulings, bringing the total number of entries to more than 10,000. The list included a number of foreign media outlets, including European Voxeurop and Euronews, Caucasus-based JAMnews, Ukrainian “Slovo i Dilo” and “Dron Media”, as well as Poland’s PAP and Gość Niedzielny, and the project supporting repressed Belarusians “EUvsDisinfo”.
Pressure on LGBTQ+ people continued. The organization “InshyYa” reported the first cases of persecution under Article 19.16 of the Code of Administrative Offences for LGBTQ+ propaganda.
The list of persons involved in “extremist activities” grew by 25 people in August. Since the beginning of the year, 687 people have been added to it. Another 10 people were added to the “terrorist list” during the month, bringing the total number of people on the list to 1,477.
According to Lawtrend, 2,053 non-profit organisations have ceased to exist in Belarus since 2020, of which 1,249 were forcibly liquidated and another 804 ceased their activities voluntarily.
The new Law “On State Registration and Liquidation (Termination of Activities) of Business Entities”, adopted on June 1, 2026, introduces prior approval by the KGB as a mandatory stage for registering non-profit organisations.
Human rights defenders also report continuing torture and cruel treatment in places of detention. In published testimonies, former prisoners described beatings, the use of electric shock devices, cold, isolation, sleep deprivation, threats and a lack of adequate medical care.
“These and other testimonies confirm the need to organise an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by representatives of the Belarusian authorities over the past six years,” Viasna representatives said.
