This month, EaP CSF talked to Enira Bronitskaya about the situation in Belarus. Enira is a woman human rights defender and a member of the human rights organisation and EaP CSF member Human Constanta. Enira has extensive experience and expertise on questions of political rights, torture and inhuman treatments, rights of vulnerable groups (including persons with disabilities and migrants) as well as anti-discrimination. She works as a consultant for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
What is the current situation for human rights in Belarus?
The human rights situation in Belarus remains dire, with daily repression continuing unabated. The scope of these violations has expanded, targeting not only vocal dissenters but virtually anyone. This repression undermines civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
Opposition leaders face imprisonment or exile. As of January 2025, 1,256 political prisoners remain incarcerated. Despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of association, Belarus has effectively dismantled political and civil society activities. The number of political parties has plummeted from 28 in 1999 to just four post-2020, with only one, Belaya Rus, successfully registering since 2000. Civil society organisations have suffered a similar fate, with over 1,700 groups liquidated or forced to dissolve since 2020. The government has criminalised participation in unregistered organisations, reinstating this provision in 2022 after briefly removing it in 2019. The first conviction under this law occurred in August 2024.
Freedom of expression and the prohibition of censorship, enshrined in the Constitution, are disregarded. Belarus ranks 167th out of 180 countries in the 2024 Press Freedom Index, reflecting severe media restrictions. Individuals face criminal penalties for defamation or insulting authorities, with over 700 convictions for insulting the president. Broad and ambiguous definitions of “prohibited information” stifle criticism of officials and restrict access to information. The government has banned nearly 6,000 information sources as “extremist” and labelled 25 major media outlets as “extremist formations.” At least 42 journalists have been imprisoned, further limiting public access to independent information and undermining voters’ ability to make informed decisions.
How does the January 26 vote reflect the lack of a free and fair electoral process in Belarus and how does it further consolidate Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule?
For the first time in Belarus’s history as an independent state, presidential elections were held without the participation of opposition candidates. Although four other candidates ran alongside Aliaksandr Lukashenka, none of them positioned themselves as opponents to the main candidate, challenged his platform, or criticised the current government. All registered candidates were approved by the authorities and played the roles assigned to them in the electoral process.
The January 26 vote reinforces the authoritarian nature of power in the country, closes the paths for democratic development and leaves Belarus in a state of stagnation, suppressing hopes for freedom and justice.
How should the international community — particularly the European Union, the United States, and neighbouring EaP countries — respond to the results of the vote? What options are there on the table?
The European Parliament on 22 January adopted the resolution and call on the EU to reject the upcoming presidential election in Belarus on 26 January as a sham. The Parliament consider that the European Union should refuse to recognise Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s anticipated victory. The Parliament reaffirms its support for the Belarusian people in their fight for democracy and human rights and want the scope of EU sanctions against Belarusian authorities to be broadened. I fully support this position.
Despite demonstrating absolute power and control during these elections, Lukashenka still showed on several occasions that the opinions of others matter to him. Albeit belatedly, he attempted to invite observers from the OSCE/ODIHR, granted access to some international journalists, and dedicated 4 and a half hours on election day to a press conference, attempting to justify himself and boost trust.
However, this does not change the fact that the elections were conducted in complete disregard of international standards and national legislation. The fundamental conditions for holding free and genuine elections were absent, and thus the results cannot be considered legitimate, nor can the authority of the “elected” president.
The peaceful conduct of the elections cannot erase the serious human rights violations. Only genuine progress in the field of human rights and the release of all political prisoners can serve as a basis for restoring cooperation with the Belarusian authorities.
You can find out more about the work of Enira and Human Constanta on their website.
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