Belarus

On 8 June 2021, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed legislation that punishes those accused of taking part in unauthorised demonstrations with imprisonment of up to three years. Those who are found to have participated in or to have promoted “extremist activity” would face up to six years in jail. The definition of “extremist activity” remains ill-defined in the new legislation, leading to fears that the new provisions would be used to suppress any dissent. This law follows others enacted on 24 May 2021, which make it compulsory to obtain a permit from the authorities to organise mass events and prohibit journalists from reporting live from such events. These legal provisions were still in effect in 2023.

Since April 2022, the Belarusian government has engaged in a systematic pattern of repression against the independent trade unions in the country, arbitrarily arresting and detaining trade union leaders and members, intimidating and harassing them. On 19 April 2022, more than twenty leaders and activists of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) were detained by the State Security Committee (KGB), including Aliaksandr Yarashuk, BKDP chairman. Repression continued as further targeted arrests were made in May, including Maksim Pazniakou, acting BKDP chairman, who was picked up by the state authorities on 17 May 2022.

Andrei Khanevich, chairperson of the primary trade union organization of the BNP at Grodno Azot was sentenced to a five-year imprisonment in November, while Aliaksandr Mishuk, BNP vice-chairperson and chairperson of the primary trade union organisation at Belaruskali, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment.

On 27 December 2022, the Minsk City Court passed a verdict against the imprisoned BKDP leaders: chairman Aliaksandr Yarashuk was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, his deputy Sergei Antusevich to two years in prison, and BKDP accountant Irina But-Husaim to 18 months in prison. They were found guilty of actions that grossly violate public order and Yarashuk was also found guilty of calling for measures aimed at harming national security.

All three trade unionists had been in custody since 19 April 2022 and Aliaksandr Yarashuk has had no access to his family, colleagues or lawyers during his detention.

On 5 January 2023, the Minsk City Court passed a sentence on the leaders of the trade union of radio-electronic industry workers (REP): Hennadz Fiadynich was sentenced to nine years of reinforced regime imprisonment, Vasil Berasneu was sentenced to nine years in a medium security prison, while Vatslau Areshka was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment in a general regime prison.

All were found guilty of calling for measures aimed at harming national security, incitement of other social hatred, and the creation of an extremist formation or participation in it.

In Belarus, on 30 May 2022, Uladzimer Krysyonak, a trade union activist who took part in a major strike by workers at the Naftan oil-processing company in 2020, was found hanged at his home.

Police had questioned him a few days earlier with regard to an unspecified case. He was detained about a week before his death, before being released, with orders not to leave the city.

Uladzimer Krysyonak’s relatives and colleagues said police had threatened to send him to prison for 12 years. Uladzimer Krysyonak was an active participant in the 2020 strike in protest against the official results of the August presidential election that proclaimed authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko as the winner, amid opposition allegations that the vote was rigged. Krysyonak was also a candidate for the post of the chairman of an independent trade union in 2021.

In Belarus, the authorities stepped up their repression against trade unions when, on 18 July 2022, the Supreme Court decided to liquidate the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) and its affiliates, including the Free Trade Union of Metal Workers (SPM), the Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB), the Belarusian Trade Union of Workers of the Radio-Electronic Industry (REP) and the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU).

Since April 2022, the Belarusian government has engaged in a systematic pattern of repression of the independent trade unions in the country, smearing independent unions and trade unionists as ‘extremists’ and ‘western agents’ and engaging in defamation campaigns, with a clear threat that anyone who associates with the BKDP and its affiliates risk being prosecuted.

In Belarus, following the illegitimate election in 2020, the Lukashenko regime intensified its repression of independent trade unions. In April 2022, the authorities launched a full-scale attack on all independent unions and arrested leaders and activists. More than 30 unionists were detained or had their freedom of movement restricted. On 27 December 2022, the chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), Aliaksandr Yarashuk, was found guilty of “actions that grossly violate public order” and of “calling for measures aimed at harming national security”. After a show trial, he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. Yarashuk had been in custody since 19 April 2022 and had had no access to his family, colleagues or lawyers during his detention.