Search Results for: Lukashenko

The international community reacted sharply against the deepening border crisis between Belarus and Poland Tuesday, as thousands of migrants from Belarus have continued to gather on the Polish border while seeking entry into the European Union. Poland continues to blame the situation on the Belarusian government, saying that the Belarusian army is coordinating and encouraging [...]

Human rights watchdogs accused six high-ranking members of the Belarusian security authorities of committing crimes against humanity in a criminal complaint filed in Germany Monday. The complaint was filed with the German Public Prosecutor General by the Geneva-based World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). The [...]

The Belarus Ministry of Internal Affairs declared Friday that three of the country’s most popular social media channels will be classed as “extremist.” Telegram channels, NEXTA, NEXTA live, and LUXTA were widely used during the street protests in 2020 to protest against the election, which resulted in Alexander Lukashenko being sworn in as president. Nearly one in [...]

The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced Thursday new media restrictions that may result in citizens who subscribe to “extremist” social media channels receiving up to seven years imprisonment. The Main Directorate for Fighting Organized Crime (GUBOP), a ministerial body in the country, announced that generalists sites that include extremist activities, including encrypted communication platforms like [...]

Poland Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski declared Monday that in order to reduce migrant inflow from Belarus, the adjoining security borders with Greece and Turkey will be strengthened by structuring a perimeter that would include a system of motion sensors with thermal cameras. The influx of migrants is rising mostly from countries such as Iraq and [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet told the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday that she continues to be alarmed by “persistent allegations” of widespread and systematic torture of protestors in Belarus. She called on Belarus’ neighbors to protect asylum seekers after four people died near the Polish border last week amid [...]

The Minsk Regional Court on Monday sentenced Maria Kolesnikova, one of the leaders of mass street protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko last year and a top member of the opposition Coordination Council, to 11 years in prison. Kolesnikova was accused and found guilty of a conspiracy committed with the aim of seizing state power [...]

At the end of May, Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, announced that his government would no longer prevent migrants from illegally entering Lithuania through Belarus. Throughout July, evidence emerged that Belarus had even taken active measures to encourage the flow of migrants, such as using government vehicles to escort migrants over the border. From [...]

The UK on Monday imposed tighter sanctions on Belarus in a bid to repress its totalitarian regime. The sanctions, which were effected by an amendment to the Republic of Belarus(sanctions)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019, include aviation, trade, and economic measures.  These sanctions are subsequent to a joint designation imposed in June this year by the UK, [...]

Belarus authorities raided the homes and offices of independent news outlets, journalists, and human rights activists for a third consecutive day on Friday, widening the nation’s crackdown on President Alexander Lukashenko‘s political opponents. According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Viasna Human Rights Center, authorities had searched the apartments and offices of at [...]