# Political repression in Belarus

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/political-repression-in-belarus
> Updated: 2026-09-15T11:37:33.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

Following the disputed 2020 presidential elections, Belarus has experienced sustained political repression under Alexander Lukashenko. The state response to mass protests included the arrest of approximately 33,000 people, reports of torture, and the liquidation of independent media outlets.

United Nations experts have since reported that Belarusian state institutions, including the judiciary, police, and prison authorities, have collaborated to systematically silence government critics. The UN report indicates that these actions, which include arbitrary arrests and the denial of legal safeguards, may constitute crimes against humanity, specifically regarding persecution and imprisonment. The Belarusian government has rejected these findings and declined to cooperate with international investigators.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-15: UN experts report systematic repression in Belarus

UN experts report that Belarusian state institutions have systematically repressed government critics through arbitrary arrests, torture, and judicial abuses since 2020.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/un-experts-report-systematic-repression-in-belarus

### 2026-08-17: Belarus political repression persists years after 2020 protests

Six years after the disputed 2020 elections, Belarus remains under heavy repression following mass protests against Alexander Lukashenko's regime.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/belarus-political-repression-persists-years-after-2020-protests

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Cite as: Political repression in Belarus. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/political-repression-in-belarus