Belarusian authorities continue to crack down on dissent, with police raiding event management companies suspected of opposition ties. Videos of detained staffers admitting to participating in the 2020 protests have been released, although the veracity of these claims is uncertain. The 2020 demonstrations erupted after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in an election widely viewed as fraudulent, leading to a violent police response and the detainment of thousands.
The raids, which took place in Minsk and across Belarus, resulted in the detention of at least four people, including comedian Kiryl Allahverdzyan. One detainee, Aleh Astralenka of Pink Zebra event management firm, admitted to participating in the protests, leading to his company’s removal from the government’s register of cultural event organizers.
According to Belarusian human rights center Viasna, there are currently 1,391 political prisoners in the country, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The organization reported that 161 people were convicted in political cases in May alone, highlighting the risk faced by those who criticize the political situation in Belarus.
The crackdown on dissent in Belarus has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and foreign governments. Critics argue that the government’s actions reflect a broader campaign to silence opposition voices and suppress civil society in the country.
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