UN Experts Report: Belarus Committed Widespread Human Rights Violations, Some Amounting to Crimes Against Humanity

The report, presented to the Human Rights Council, documents abuses that include crimes against humanity, imprisonment, and persecution on political grounds.

The United Nations Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus has released a landmark report, revealing extensive and systematic human rights violations by the Government of Belarus under President Aleksandr Lukashenko. The report, presented to the Human Rights Council, documents abuses that include crimes against humanity, imprisonment, and persecution on political grounds.

The report highlights a campaign of arbitrary arrests and politically motivated detentions, which have become routine tools of oppression by Belarusian authorities. Detainees face severe mistreatment, including beatings, electric shocks, and threats of sexual violence. Security forces have particularly targeted LGBTIQ+ individuals with physical violence and degrading language.

Legal Crackdown and Suppression of Dissent

The Belarusian Government has intensified its control over the legal system. Amendments to laws on extremism and the suppression of defense lawyers, combined with the Ministry of Justice’s control over the Bar Association, have undermined fair trial rights. Enhanced digital surveillance has been used to monitor online dissent, leading to further arrests and prosecutions.

Targeting Civil Society and Political Opposition

In 2024, the authorities liquidated at least 228 civil society organizations and adopted measures to stifle dissent, resulting in mass arrests and systematic persecution of opposition voices. The penal colony system subjects political prisoners to discriminatory and abusive treatment designed to crush resistance. Many activists are rearrested immediately upon release.

Exile, Prosecution, and International Implications

Since 2020, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians—including lawyers, journalists, and civil society members—have fled the country to escape persecution. Despite their exile, many face criminal charges for alleged activities such as "discrediting the state" or "conspiring to seize power."

Call for Accountability and Justice

The Group of Experts emphasizes that accountability for human rights violations is crucial. Judicial and non-judicial mechanisms are necessary to identify and prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity and ensure justice for victims. The report underscores the urgency of ending Belarus's culture of impunity and protecting human rights defenders.

The international community is urged to take decisive action to address these atrocities and support efforts toward justice and accountability in Belarus.