Safety, dignity, and well-being are fundamental human rights that we all deserve — to live freely, without fear. However, the authorities in Belarus persist in systematically curtailing the rights and freedoms of their citizens. In the face of increased backlash against civil society, and repressions of the LGBTQ+ community, it is critical to stand in solidarity and lift the Belarus struggle for freedom and justice. At this difficult time, supporting the unwavering resilience of grassroots organizers, initiatives, and organizations and their fight for justice and equality in Belarus is as timely as ever.
Brief Overview: Civil Society in Belarus after 2020
The 2020 Belarus’ rigged presidential election ignited an unprecedented wave of protests across the country, mobilizing a diverse coalition of country residents, including workers, educators, healthcare professionals, athletes, cultural workers, intellectuals, and others. The scale and persistence of these protests represented a historic expression of the Belarusian people’s desire for meaningful change and is described by many witnesses as a social revolution. In response, Lukashenka’s government unleashed severe repression, including mass detentions, extrajudicial killings, and torture. Civil society activists faced threats, blackmail, abductions, and illegal detentions, leading to a historic crackdown on dissent in the country.
Restrictions on freedom of assembly, association, and expression escalated with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, resulting in thousands of arrests for opposition to both the Lukashenka’s regime and the war in Ukraine. By mid-2022, over 765 NGOs had been forcibly closed or voluntarily disbanded under pressure, and the government intensified efforts to label civil organizations and individual activists as “extremist“.
Since the summer of 2020, the human rights community has identified 3,500 individuals as political prisoners, 627 of whom are women. As of October 7th, 2024, there were 1,281 individuals recognized as incarcerated on political grounds. The number changes daily, as some political prisoners are released after serving their full terms or receiving a pardon from A. Lukashenka, while new arrests are occurring regularly across the country, with additional people being recognized as political prisoners.
Arbitrary detentions, incommunicado imprisonment, and endless detentions and arrests throughout the country have created a pervasive climate of fear, forcing thousands of people to seek refuge abroad. Exiled Belarusians are at risk as their families in Belarus face reprisals, and they themselves meet additional restrictions: new legislation bars renewing passports and completing other transactions from abroad while returning to Belarus risks immediate arrest.
On September 30, 2024, Lithuania referred the situation in Belarus to the International Criminal Court, calling for an investigation into potential crimes against humanity by Lukashenka’s regime, as repression continues ahead of Belarus’ presidential election in 2025.
What is Happening Right Now: LGBTQ+ community in 2024
According to queer activists from Belarus, 2024 has marked a renewed wave of aggressive hate propaganda targeting LGBTQ+ people. Instances of arbitrary detention, bullying, forced outings, torture, and degrading treatment by law enforcement have intensified. Activists are reporting a disturbing decline in transparent mechanisms to support the most vulnerable members of the community. Simultaneously, Belarus is systematically transforming into a platform for disseminating Russian anti-gender narratives.
In April 2024, the definition of pornography under Belarusian law was expanded to include “depictions of same-sex relationships and transgender people“. This places portrayals of LGBTQ+ individuals alongside necrophilia, pedophilia, and voyeurism — all classified as “non-traditional relationships” and deemed pornographic. Currently, a draft law is in the approval process that introduces administrative responsibility for the promotion (aka “propaganda”) of “abnormal relationships, pedophilia, and voluntary refusal of childbirth”. If adopted, this law will further tighten the state’s control over the personal lives of Belarusian residents and expand opportunities for political persecution in the country.
The language used in this draft law is alarmingly similar to the repressive legislative initiatives seen in the Russian Federation, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and certain other Central Asian countries under Russian influence. Belarusian state media serves as a tool for spreading gender disinformation, aligning with Russian propaganda designed to normalize military operations in Ukraine, foster loyalty to the authoritarian policies of the Russian government, and advance Russia’s political agenda. This tactic threatens the sovereignty of independent countries, and the adoption of this bill will open further avenues for political persecution in Belarus, much like during the Soviet era, when the charge of “muzhelozhestvo” (sodomy) was used to target political dissidents.
How Can We Support
We call on the international community of funders and intersectional organizers to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and civil society in Belarus.
Given the hostile environment, systemic targeting, surveillance, and persecution of LGBTQ+ organizers, many activists continue their work in exile and underground, risking their safety and freedom to support the LGBTQ+ community inside the country. Besides, they as LGBTQ+ individuals face daily violence, discrimination, and social isolation, which takes a devastating toll on their mental health. Here are four critical steps to support those on the frontlines of this struggle:
- Speak out in support of the social justice organizers, activists, and initiatives in Belarus. Public condemnation of these human rights abuses can help build international pressure.
- Lift up those fighting for justice in Belarus. Amplify their voices, stories, and campaigns across platforms to ensure their efforts are not silenced and invisibilized.
- Fund social justice organizers in exile. Supporting activists forced to leave Belarus ensures they can continue their essential work and maintain pressure on the regime from abroad, while still providing services to the communities inside the country.
- Explore creative strategies and routes to move funds to the organizers at the frontline of the fight for justice in Belarus, and consult with the civil society representatives on the movement priorities. Collaboratively build infrastructure that ensures resources reach those on the frontlines, even in the most challenging environments.
By taking these actions, we can strengthen the resilience of civil society in Belarus, support the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups, and bolster resistance against Russian anti-gender narratives and policies colonizing countries throughout the region.
