Even after a wave of recent prisoner releases, the Belarusian regime under President Alexander Lukashenko continues to persecute opposition figures, human rights advocates warn.
One of the most alarming cases is that of Uladzimir Labkovich, a prominent human rights defender. After four and a half years of imprisonment, Labkovich was released on December 13 as part of a deal linked to the U.S. easing some trade sanctions on Belarus. However, instead of being allowed to return home, he was blindfolded, expelled to Ukraine, and given no passport or identification documents, leaving him to navigate bureaucratic hurdles abroad.
“After four and a half years of abuse in prison, I was thrown out of my own country without a passport or valid documents,” Labkovich said. “This is yet another dirty trick by the Belarusian authorities, who continue to make our lives difficult.”
Labkovich was among 123 political prisoners released, most sent to Ukraine, with a few — including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski — sent to Lithuania. Many of these individuals were stripped of documents and forced into exile, effectively continuing the repression even after official pardons.
Forced Deportation and International Condemnation
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the actions as “forced deportation in violation of international norms”, calling it inhumane and humiliating for the released prisoners. Human rights organizations and U.N. officials describe the process as coercive exile, not genuine pardons.
Some of the released prisoners, including Labkovich, spent over 200 days in solitary confinement under harsh conditions, facing accusations of high treason and other politically motivated charges. Others, like Vitkar Babaryka and Maria Kolesnikova, were expelled without documents, while many still in Belarus remain imprisoned, including Marfa Rabkova and Valiantsin Stefanovic.
Ongoing Repression at Home and Abroad
Authorities in Belarus continue to target critics abroad, denying passport renewals, seizing property, and conducting trials in absentia. Activists call it a “revolving door” of arrests and releases, with Viasna reporting 176 new political prisoners since September 2025.
“While the prisoner releases are certainly a relief, there are no signs from Belarusian authorities of a change in the policy or practice of repression,” said Nils Muižnieks, U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus.
Despite the recent releases, the situation in Belarus remains dire, with thousands of citizens and opposition figures living under constant threat of arbitrary detention, forced exile, or property confiscation.
