Belarus has built a system of political discrimination, human rights group says
Security forces during the 2020 protests / LookByMedia
A coordinated infrastructure for suppressing dissent has been established in Belarus, encompassing key areas of public life. This is one of the conclusions drawn by the authors of a report by the human rights organisation the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC). It describes the workings of the state system of political discrimination in Belarus. The document is titled "You understand everything. Systemic political discrimination in Belarus: mechanisms, scale, consequences".
Over the six years since 2020, the authorities' discriminatory policies have received regulatory entrenchment and a stable institutional structure.
State bodies, courts, security forces and the penitentiary system act in concert to restrict the rights of citizens perceived as opponents of the authorities.
Discriminatory practices are applied in the areas of labour, education, healthcare, culture and social welfare.
It is noted that restrictions are imposed not only for the direct expression of opinion, but also on the basis of proxy indicators, including possession of a foreign residence permit, travel abroad, as well as membership of the Catholic faith or the Polish national minority.
The report's text emphasises: "The fact that a widespread, systematic attack on the civilian population has been carried out in Belarus since May 2020 is consistently confirmed by the UN Independent Expert Group on the human rights situation in Belarus and by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court".
Human rights defenders also noted that the phrase "You understand everything" is used by officials as an informal code replacing a legal basis when repressive decisions are taken.
The study reports on the widespread use of lists of "extremist formations" and "terrorists" to restrict citizens' rights without judicial process.
A criminal conviction under "extremism articles" entails a virtually lifelong ban on teaching, notarial and real estate activities. In the sphere of labour, mass dismissals by mutual agreement and the use of "blacklists" have been recorded.
In 2025, the authorities approved Directive No. 12, which obliges organisations of all forms of ownership, including private businesses, to conduct ideological work.
