The Belarusian Helsinki Committee has prepared a report entitled “You Know How It Is: Systemic Political Discrimination in Belarus — Mechanisms, Scale and Consequences”. In this report, we propose looking at repression in Belarus through the lens of systemic political discrimination to better understand its nature, real scale and consequences for people.
Рэпрэсіі ў Беларусі звычайна асацыююцца з вядомымі выпадкамі непасрэднага крымінальнага або адміністрацыйнага пераследу — затрыманнямі, ператрусамі, пазбаўленнем волі. Пра сітуацыю ў краіне часта мяркуюць па колькасці людзей, прызнаных палітвязнямі. Увага засяроджваецца на гэтых пытаннях, а таксама на парушэннях «традыцыйных» для нашага кантэксту правоў — свабоды выказвання меркаванняў, свабоды асацыяцый і мірных сходаў, права на справядлівы суд.
Repression in Belarus is usually associated with well-known cases of direct criminal or administrative prosecution: detentions, searches, deprivation of liberty. The situation in the country is often judged by the number of persons recognised as political prisoners. Attention tends to concentrate on these issues, as well as on violations of the rights that are “traditionally” at stake in our context — freedom of expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and the right to a fair trial.
Belarus has introduced administrative liability for the “propaganda of homosexual relations, gender transition, and childlessness”. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the queer initiative Prismatica explain the potential legal implications for individuals and organisations.
The factual information is accurate as of 14 April 2026.
STATEMENT BY ORGANIZATIONS OF THE BELARUSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY
on the inadmissibility of criminalizing freedom of expression and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people
July 11, 2025
Education for Lawyers – Opening of a Council of Europe Information Centre for Belarusians in Vilnius – Concept for Anti-Discrimination Legislation. The Council of Europe (CoE) continues its steadfast support for enhancing the capacity of Belarusian experts in the fields of equality and non-discrimination. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee contributes its expertise to this important work.
On 4–5 December 2024, a two-day seminar, “European Standards of Equality and Combating Discrimination”, was held.
The Concept for a System of Measures to Combat Discrimination and Ensure Equality in Belarus, Including the Law “On Equality and Non-Discrimination, (in ru)” is one element of the comprehensive legal reform needed in Belarus.
