Belarusian police have recently conducted raids on event management companies suspected of having ties to the opposition, as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in the country. Videos released by authorities show detained staffers admitting to participating in opposition protests in 2020, although it is unclear whether these confessions were made under duress.
The 2020 demonstrations in Belarus erupted after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory in an election that was widely condemned as fraudulent. The protests led to a violent response from police, resulting in the detention of around 35,000 people. The recent raids by authorities targeted event management companies in Minsk and other parts of the country, leading to the arrest of at least four individuals.
One of those detained was Belarusian comedian Kiryl Allahverdzyan, who was shown in a video confessing to collaborating with an opposition TV channel to create content mocking law enforcement. Another detainee, Aleh Astralenka, admitted to participating in opposition marches in 2020, leading to his company being removed from the government’s list of cultural event organizers.
According to the Belarusian human rights center Viasna, there are currently 1,391 political prisoners in the country, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The center’s report highlights the arbitrary convictions of individuals critical of the government, stating that anyone who has protested or criticized the political situation risks being thrown into inhumane conditions. The crackdown on dissent in Belarus continues to raise concerns among human rights organizations and international observers.
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