Repression in Belarus

In Belarus – on of the EU’s new neighbors in Eastern Europe – human rights are heavily violated. President Alexander Lukashenka, in 1994 elected according to a democratic constitution, has changed the country with a ‘coup d’état’ in November 1996. Afterwards he changed the country into a neo-soviet authoritarian state: The standing of the constitution and legislation was replaced by arbitrariness of president’s decrees.

The division between the executive, legislative and juridical branch of the state was revoked. Elections were systematically rigged. The parliament has no rights. The budget of the president is kept in secret.

Electronic media are under the state’s supervision. The free press is hindered, critical journalist are tracked.

Organizations which not depend on the government are interdicted.

Leading representatives of the opposition were killed or have disappeared. Those and other violations of human rights were documented by international and Belarusian human rights organizations in Belarus as well as by the Council of Europe, die OSCE and the United Nations.

However, Lukashenka’s regime could profit from the circumstance that the political agenda for Belarus is very limited in Europe.

Under this, people who become victims of repression or who wish themselves a democratic state and the rule of law, suffer.