ARTICLE 19 and Human Constanta present a joint analysis of anti-extremism laws, which are increasingly used by the Belarusian government to prosecute dissenting voices.
Absurd charges, real sentences
In Belarus, almost any act of dissent can be branded as ‘extremism’ or ‘terrorism’ — this practice has become one of the main tools of pressure on civil society.
The prosecution for ‘extremism’ often takes absurd forms — songs, memes, and anime are routinely deemed manifestations of extremism. But the consequences are far from humorous: courts have issued harsh sentences for online donations, online comments, or administering online platforms.
Since the 2020–2021 protests, the Belarusian de-facto authorities have reported at least 22,500 criminal cases opened on ‘anti-extremism’ grounds.
How the system works
The ‘ecosystem’ of ‘anti-extremism’ repression rests on:
- specialised laws on combating ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’, along with the corresponding criminal and administrative offences;
- numerous ‘extremist’ lists;
- amendments enabling citizenship revocation for ‘extremist crimes’;
- the death penalty for ‘acts of terrorism’ and ‘high treason’;
- ‘prone to extremism’ labels applied in prisons.
The politicised nature of this system has been repeatedly criticised — including by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, the Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus, rapporteurs of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, as well as international and local NGOs.
What the report covers
The analysis examines the impact of excessively broad legal provisions on digital rights and online behaviour in Belarus. Particular attention is paid to cases of political prosecution and threats arising from seemingly minor actions — online comments, participation in messaging groups, and online donations.
