More than 100,000 facts of persecution: Viasna published sad statistics of six years of repression
Six years ago, thousands of Belarusians took to the streets, demanding fair elections and an end to violence. In response, the state unleashed unprecedented repression, which continues to this day. Over these years, people have lost their freedom, health, loved ones, homes, and the opportunity to live in their homeland. Despite the authorities actively concealing the true scale of political persecution, human rights defenders continue to document new facts of detentions, searches, politically motivated sentences, as well as facts of persecution of Belarusians abroad.
Human rights defenders note that all figures may be significantly higher due to the lack of complete data available to them.
Viasna human rights defenders have recorded more than 100,000 facts of politically motivated persecution since 2020.
This figure includes detentions, arrests, searches, interrogations, politically motivated sentences, pressure on relatives, and other forms of repression.
A total of 4,602 people have already been granted the status of political prisoner.
Over the year, this number increased by another 538 people, which indicates the continuation of political persecution, despite mass pardons.
As of August 9, 2026, no less than 879 people remain behind bars.
Since 2020, at least 10,016 people have faced politically motivated criminal prosecution, and at least 8,670 people have been convicted, including in absentia.
Since August 9, 2025 alone, at least 750 new politically motivated sentences have become known, but the true number may be significantly higher.
Since the beginning of the repression, 2,089 women have already been convicted in politically motivated criminal cases. This is 324 more than a year ago.
Today, 120 women are imprisoned, including mothers of many children, pensioners, and women with serious illnesses.
Human rights defenders categorize 178 political prisoners as being at special risk. These include people with severe illnesses, minors at the time of their alleged actions, those with many children, people in difficult family circumstances, and those undergoing forced psychiatric treatment. This group also includes political prisoners held incommunicado or who are not released even after serving their sentences.
In total, 886 political prisoners have been pardoned since 2024. Of these, 205 people were forcibly expelled from Belarus after their release.
At least 3,982 people were convicted in criminal cases related to participation in the post-election protests of 2020. For thousands of Belarusians, participation in peaceful demonstrations became a reason for criminal prosecution, imprisonment, or forced emigration.
Belarusian authorities continue to actively persecute foreign citizens. Since 2020, at least 115 foreigners have been convicted in politically motivated criminal cases.
Lukashenka's regime increasingly uses the mechanism of special proceedings to prosecute Belarusians who were forced to leave their homeland. Since 2020, at least 225 politically motivated convictions in absentia are known.
Viasna human rights defenders are not aware of any criminal cases against representatives of law enforcement agencies for torture, ill-treatment, or deaths of people related to politically motivated persecution.
At least nine people have died in captivity: Andrei Padniabienny, Aliaksandr Kulinich, Ihar Lednik, Vadzim Khrasko, Ales Pushkin, Mikalai Klimovich, Vitold Ashurak, Dzmitry Shlethauer, Valiantsin Shtermer. Their deaths have become one of the most tragic consequences of politically motivated persecution in Belarus.
Comments
А яшчэ нашмат больш людзей памерла цягам году пасля вызвалення з турмы. Наступствы катаванняў, знаходжання ў невыносных умовах, неаказання медычнай дапамогі ў турме.