UN Expert Warns of Deepening Human Rights Crisis in Belarus Post-Election

The human rights situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, with no sign of improvement, according to Nils Muižnieks, the recently appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. In a sobering address to the Human Rights Council's 59th session, Muižnieks presented his first annual report since assuming the mandate, covering developments from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

The reporting period included the 26 January 2025 presidential election, which resulted in the re-election of Aliaksandr Lukashenka for a seventh term, in a vote widely criticized by international observers for its lack of transparency, fairness, and democratic legitimacy.

“My predecessor noted in one of her reports that elections have been a catalyst for human rights violations in Belarus,” Muižnieks stated. “This holds true for my mandate as well — the closer the elections, the greater the repression.”

Surge in Persecution Around the Elections

The lead-up to the 2025 elections was marked by an intensification of state-sponsored repression, Muižnieks reported. Authorities escalated targeted crackdowns on civil society, with a focus on family members of political prisoners, many of whom had already fled Belarus due to prior persecution.

This wave of repression has included:

• Trials in absentia of exiled activists and opposition figures.

• Property seizures from Belarusians living abroad, often without due process.

• Expanded surveillance and harassment of those perceived to be critical of the regime.

The Special Rapporteur noted that such actions represent a deliberate strategy by Belarusian authorities to stifle dissent and extend punitive control beyond national borders.

Systemic Abuse in Detention Facilities

One of the gravest concerns detailed in the report was the ongoing abuse and ill-treatment of detainees, particularly those imprisoned for political reasons. These abuses include:

• Prolonged incommunicado detention, where prisoners are denied contact with lawyers or family.

• Gender-based violence, especially targeting women political prisoners.

• Psychological and physical abuse, including arbitrary extensions of prison terms for vague offences such as “malicious disobedience.”

“Imagine this: you have almost served your full prison sentence, which was imposed on you unjustly for exercising your human rights… You are about to be released when the authorities inform you that your sentence has been extended by another year,” Muižnieks said. “Some prisoners have seen their sentences extended in this way three times.”

This practice effectively traps individuals in a cycle of indefinite detention, often based on opaque or retaliatory decisions by prison administrations.

Political Pardons with Coercive Strings Attached

While the Belarusian government has issued several presidential pardons, Muižnieks emphasized that these releases have often been conditional and coercive. In some cases, political prisoners were:

• Forced to participate in propaganda videos, showcasing forced “confessions” or public repentance.

• Compelled to sign cooperation agreements with the Committee of State Security (KGB), effectively placing them under state surveillance even after release.

These conditions amount to further human rights violations, according to the UN expert, undermining the integrity of the pardon process and reinforcing the climate of fear.

A Steady Number of Political Prisoners, No Sign of Reform

Despite international advocacy, the number of political prisoners in Belarus remains alarmingly high. Muižnieks noted that while occasional releases make headlines, they are often matched by new arrests or re-sentencing of existing detainees under contrived legal grounds.

“Repression has simply taken new forms. The regime is refining its tactics while continuing to punish those who dare to speak out,” Muižnieks stated.

Lack of Cooperation with the United Nations

Muižnieks expressed deep frustration with the Belarusian government's refusal to engage with the mandate. Since his appointment, the government has:

• Ignored repeated requests to visit the country.

• Refused substantive responses to communications from the Special Rapporteur and other UN human rights mechanisms.

• Provided only formal and uninformative replies, indicating a policy of disengagement from international human rights oversight.

“This lack of cooperation not only violates Belarus’s obligations as a UN member state, it also deprives its citizens of an essential avenue for justice and international solidarity,” Muižnieks warned.

International Implications and a Call to Action

The report paints a picture of a state in defiance of international human rights norms, operating with impunity and institutionalized repression. The Special Rapporteur called on UN Member States, especially those in the European Union, to maintain and intensify targeted sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations.

He also urged continued support for Belarusian civil society, both inside and outside the country, and called for mechanisms to protect exiled activists from transnational repression.

A Country in Crisis

The situation in Belarus represents one of Europe’s most entrenched human rights crises. With elections used as a pretext for intensifying repression, and with the state weaponizing the legal system and penal institutions to punish dissent, the outlook remains bleak.

“As long as repression continues unabated and unpunished, there is little hope for democratic transition or human rights progress,” Muižnieks concluded.

The international community, he emphasized, must keep Belarus in sharp focus—not only for the sake of its own people but for the preservation of democratic values across the region.