Belarus using justice system to silence Lukashenko critics, say UN experts

Belarusian authorities are employing the country's justice system to silence critics of President Alexander Lukashenko, according to United Nations experts. In a report set to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council, the experts allege that courts, police, security services, prosecutors, and prison authorities have all worked in tandem to suppress real or perceived opponents since 2020.

The UN panel found systematic violations of international human rights laws, from arrest through to post-release surveillance. They documented arbitrary detentions, torture, denial of legal protections, and unfair trials. The report's authors stress that these abuses continue to this day, and that the judicial system plays a crucial role in legitimizing these actions and denying victims recourse.

Belarus has rejected UN criticism of its human rights record and has not cooperated with the experts, who were unable to secure a visit to the country. The experts' findings follow mass protests after Lukashenko's August 2020 election, which the opposition and Western governments deemed rigged. Thousands were detained in the ensuing crackdown, and political prisoners remain a persistent issue.

Lukashenko denies holding political prisoners, calling them "bandits," and denies electoral fraud, claiming authorities acted lawfully.