“The human rights situation in Belarus remains catastrophic,” says Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition. She stresses that repressions following the protests that erupted in 2020 after the rigged presidential election have never stopped — people are still being arrested for their opinions. According to the Human Rights Center Viasna, more than 1,200 political prisoners are currently being held in Belarusian prisons. The opposition is calling on the West to continue supporting Belarusian civil society and democratic institutions in exile and to maintain sanctions against the regime.
“What is happening in my country is a humanitarian and political disaster. For five years, people have been living as if in a gulag. Society is forced to endure endless repression. People are arrested for anti-Lukashenka, anti-war, pro-European and pro-Ukrainian views — and sent to prison for years,” Tsikhanouskaya told Newseria agency.
In the past five years, Viasna human rights defenders have documented over 100,000 cases of repression and more than 7,500 politically motivated criminal convictions. From the start of the 2020 presidential campaign to 27 October of this year, a total of 4,229 people have been officially recognised as political prisoners. Almost 3,000 of them have since been released — after serving sentences, following changes to the conditions of their detention, or due to U.S. diplomatic efforts. However, 1,237 political prisoners were still behind bars as of 27 October. Repression related to participation in the 2020 protests continues — Viasna recorded 96 politically motivated incidents in September alone, including arrests and property searches.
“Politically speaking, Lukashenka is selling off our country — trading away our sovereignty to Russia in exchange for political and economic backing from Putin,” Tsikhanouskaya warns.
She stresses that since 2022, the regime in Minsk has acted as a de facto ally of the Kremlin in its war against Ukraine. Belarusian territory has been used for missile attacks, the training of Russian troops and the transfer of military equipment. Meanwhile, for over three years the Lukashenka regime has carried out hybrid operations on the Polish border by weaponising migrants — deliberately destabilising the security of the entire region.
“Belarus has become a base for attacks on Ukraine. We see Lukashenka ready to give up our territory, infrastructure and resources so that Putin can blackmail Europe. We see drone overflights of Poland, attacks using migrants, and nuclear threats. Belarus is now a source of danger for all our European neighbours,” Tsikhanouskaya states.
Despite repression and mass political exile, Belarus’s democratic structures have survived and continue to develop. Government-in-exile bodies operate from Vilnius and Warsaw, maintaining relations with partners in 48 countries.
“Change in Belarus is not just about restoring hope — it is also hard work. Despite all repression, people inside the country have not given up. We may no longer see large, beautiful demonstrations in the streets of Belarusian cities, but people’s minds have not changed. Lukashenka has failed to make society like him. Belarusians want change — and they are preparing for it,” says Tsikhanouskaya. “We have built alternative institutions of governance. We have strong and active civic organisations, media, human rights defenders — a real movement, united and working together. Our struggle today is not only about when change will come, but how it will come — and we must be ready.”
Tsikhanouskaya emphasises that the future of Belarus depends heavily on solidarity with Belarusian civil society — both inside the country and in exile. Some European countries have increased visa issuance for Belarusians; more than ten offer “foreigner passports,” and Lithuania has introduced three-year residence permits for those fleeing persecution.
“No war is ever won alone. Our people need visible signs of solidarity. We need technical support for our media, civil organisations and democratic institutions. We look to the example of Polish ‘Solidarity,’ which survived and won thanks to massive international support,” Tsikhanouskaya says.
She calls on the international community to maintain economic sanctions on the regime and refuse to recognise the results of the so-called 2025 presidential election, officially “won” again by Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Thirty-five countries refused to recognise the results of the undemocratic elections of 2020, 2024 and 2025, and 30 have joined the OSCE Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus.
“I am deeply grateful to all European countries that refused to recognise the so-called 2025 presidential election. Lukashenka is not recognised as the legitimate representative of Belarus,” she stresses. “We urge our democratic partners to firmly stick to the values and policies pursued over the past five years. On one hand, we ask our allies to maintain strict sanctions against the regime — because we clearly see they are working and are draining the regime’s resources.”
One of the opposition’s key demands is to hold the Minsk authorities accountable for crimes against humanity committed against citizens. Tsikhanouskaya called on democratic countries to join Lithuania’s initiative — launched in 2024 — to submit evidence to The Hague documenting crimes by the Lukashenka regime, including torture, persecution and deportation. Belarusian human rights organisations are gathering evidence via a joint documentation platform operating under the OSCE and the Council of Europe.
“We must have strong backing to ensure dictators cannot feel untouchable,” Tsikhanouskaya appeals.
The opposition also urges democratic states to maintain aid for Kyiv, as Belarus’s fate is closely tied to the outcome of the war in Ukraine.
“In our conversations with partners, we urge everyone to help Ukraine win — because that will open the door not only for Belarus, but also for Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and other countries,” the opposition leader stresses.
During last week’s plenary session in Strasbourg, Tsikhanouskaya appeared alongside her husband Siarhei — a prominent opposition figure imprisoned for five years and released in June. They appealed to the European Parliament to continue supporting the Belarusian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy. According to a resolution adopted during the same session, the EU has allocated €170 million since 2020 to support Belarusian civil society, independent media and victims of repression. In response to the rigged elections, human rights violations and Belarus’s role in Russia’s war, the EU imposed trade restrictions and sanctions on 310 individuals — including Lukashenka — and 46 entities. The Parliament called for further tightening of sanctions — especially against Belarusian firms and officials involved in the forced labour of political prisoners — and urged European businesses to cease operations in Belarus and cut ties with any suppliers violating civil and political rights or openly supporting the regime. MEPs once again condemned politically motivated repression — including against the Polish minority — and expressed strong support for civil society and democratic institutions resisting the dictatorship.
