The Human Rights Center “Viasna” described the human rights situation of Belarus in December 2025. According to human rights defenders, a advanced level of political repression and persecution persists in the country at the end of the year: over a 1000 political prisoners are inactive in prison, fresh detentions and pressures are noted, and the expansion of practices to combat “extremism” and “terrorism” remains 1 of the key instruments for limiting citizens' rights and freedoms.
Since 2020, at least 9282 people have been persecuted for political reasons. At least 8,000 of them received convictions, including by chance. These figures increase from period to month, despite attempts by the authorities to restrict access to information about repression.
At the end of December 2025, 1131 political prisoners, including 167 women, were in prison. Within a month, another 50 were declared political prisoners. As of May 2020, a full of 4339 people have obtained this status, with 3,208 erstwhile political prisoners already on the loose in connection with the termination, release or amendment of the preventive measure.
On 13 December, the authorities announced a “grant” of 123 political prisoners. Among the dismissed were: winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and president of the “Viasna” organisation Aleś Bialacki, human rights defender from the “Viasna” organisation Uladzimir Łabkowicz, presidential candidate in the 2020 election Wiktar Babarika, associate of the staff of Wiktar Babarika Maria Kalesnikawa, advocate of Maksim Znak, editor-in-chief of TUT. BY Maryna Zolatawa, political scientist Alaksandr Fiaduta, politician and activist Paweł Siewiariniec.
Human rights defenders stress that these exemptions were accompanied by actual forced expulsion from the country without the anticipation of returning to Belarus and do not show systemic changes.
At the same time, human rights defenders and activists stay in prison, and at least a fewer political prisoners are completely isolated from the outside world. There are inactive cases of additional force on convicts — placing in solitary confinements, launching fresh cases on the charge of “a threatening violation of the order” and pursuing citizens for helping political prisoners.
In December, “Viasna” reported over 80 cases of political repression, including detention, search and interrogation. force is exerted not only in the country but besides outside its borders: Belarusians abroad study contacts from safety forces, attempts to exert intellectual force and urge them to return.
The torture and brutal treatment of detainees stay a separate problem. Human rights defenders proceed to paper cases of systematic force in detention and colonies, including physical and intellectual violence, degrading detention conditions and threats to relatives. These practices are applied both at the phase of the investigation and during the prosecution.
Despite the statute of limitations in a number of cases relating to the 2020 protests, criminal proceedings are inactive being conducted for expressing opposition to state policy. Citizens proceed to be held accountable for their statements to officials and Alaksandr Lukashenko, as well as for “inciting hostility” and participation in “extremistic activity”.
Lists of “extremists”, “terrorists” and “extremistic” formations are regularly supplemented, which is the basis for continuing panic and repression.
Human rights defenders note that the combination of these measures creates an atmosphere of fear, self-censorship and continuous control. Despite individual exemptions, 2025 did not bring about a systemic improvement in the human rights situation in Belarus and repression remains a key instrument of state policy.
Source: reforms.news, Spring96.org
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