GENEVA - The UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus welcomed the release of political prisoners in Belarus over the last year, but warned in a new report today that their subsequent expulsion abroad amounts to a fundamental violation of human rights.
While the release of detainees held on politically motivated charges is a positive step, the conditions of their release are alarming. Forced expulsion and arbitrary deportation constitute a clear violation of international human rights standards.
"We urge the Government of Belarus to abide by its human rights obligations and immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners detained for politically-motivated reasons," said Karinna Moskalenko, chair of the Group of Independent Experts. "The international community must ensure the protection for all Belarusians - including those in exile - and initiate proceedings against alleged perpetrators."
The report documents an ongoing, State-orchestrated strategy to silence dissent through arbitrary arrest and detention, as well as by routinely subjecting detainees to torture, ill-treatment and inhuman conditions.
The death of at least eight individuals in detention since May 2020 is particularly alarming; some of the fatalities could have been prevented were it not for the harsh conditions of confinement and the denial of adequate medical care.
"Women in detention have been denied gender-specific healthcare and subjected to environmental hardships, including exposure to extreme cold, which has had a detrimental impact on their health," said Susan Bazilli, an expert member of the Group. "Similarly, we documented repression directed at the LGBTQI community, underscoring the discriminatory nature of the State's punitive measures."
The Group reported that Belarusians are not safe even after fleeing abroad, documenting how State authorities have targeted those in exile by weaponizing administrative procedures, effectively stripping citizens of their legal status and security when they are outside Belarusian territory.
"This strategy was evident in the release of some prisoners in 2025," said Monika Platek, an expert member of the Group. "Authorities utilized forced expulsions of Belarusian citizens, the arbitrary deprivation of identity documents, and the arbitrary deportation of foreign nationals as conditions of release."
Despite this, the scale of repression remains staggering, with at least 1,131 people reportedly remaining behind bars on politically motivated charges.
Citing a total lack of accountability within the domestic legal system, the report warned that a culture of impunity allows these violations to persist. In the absence of domestic justice, it called upon the international community to take decisive action to
ensure international refugee protection for Belarusians in exile and actively initiate legal proceedings against alleged perpetrators under universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction, ensuring that those responsible for these systematic violations are eventually brought to justice.
