Violations of the rights of representatives of national minorities in Belarus (2020–2024)

Trends in State Cultural Policy (2020–2024) leading to violations of cultural and other rights of citizens belonging to national minorities:

general anti-Western and anti-Ukrainian policy, the abolition of international agreements in the field of support for national minorities;
promotion of Russian narratives, Russification, and unequal treatment of national minorities;
destruction of the shared historical heritage of Belarus and Poland (“state-sponsored vandalism”);
liquidation of non-profit organisations that support national minorities;
violation of the right of national minorities to use their native language in education and religion;
punishments for displaying Ukraine’s state symbols, violation of the right to freedom of speech in support of Ukraine after the start of Russia’s military aggression;
designation of works and materials as “extremist”;
persecution of representatives of the Polish minority in Belarus and individuals who develop the Polish language and culture;
cancellation or non-implementation of cultural events associated with specific national minorities, as well as bans on public performances of music created by specific foreign musical collectives;
inadequate maintenance of cultural heritage objects shared with national minorities;
conclusions and recommendations.

General anti-Western and anti-Ukrainian policy, the abolition of international agreements in the field of support for national minorities

The Lukashenko regime has made Poland one of the enemies of the Belarusian people, with the Polish minority under constant pressure and subjected to a defamatory anti-Polish campaign in the media ^[1].

The country’s official bodies (including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) periodically accuse Poland and Lithuania of conspiratorial actions aimed at undermining Belarusian sovereignty, referencing the “Pole’s Card” and other initiatives. According to Alaksandr Łukašenka, the period of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (mid-16th to late 18th century) was a time of “Polish occupation and ethnocide of Belarusians.” ^[2]

One of the themes of anti-Polish rhetoric in state media concerns the Home Army partisans, accused of deliberately exterminating Belarusians during World War II. In April 2021, official Minsk initiated a criminal case against former members of the Home Army. By the end of June 2022, evidence emerged of the “unnecessary” memory system being destroyed. On 30 June, Polish Foreign Ministry representative Łukasz Jasina called on the Belarusian authorities to cease desecrating Polish national memory sites in Belarus, halt acts of vandalism, and hold those responsible accountable ^[3].

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the propaganda of Lukashenko’s regime synchronised with that of Putin’s regime, accusing the Ukrainian people and their political leaders of Nazism and fascism, employing a deliberate distortion of these historical concepts ^[4].

During this period, Belarus annulled the following agreements:

The 2016 agreement with Poland in the field of education. It also includes provisions for training teachers of the Belarusian language in Poland and the Polish language in Belarus.
The 2010 agreement with France in culture, education, science, and media.
The 2010 agreement with Ukraine on cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage ^[5].

Belarus unilaterally suspended its participation in the European Cultural Convention, adopted by the Council of Europe in 1954 and effective for Belarus since 1993 ^[6].

Cultural rights at the international level are enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Article 15) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Article 5, paragraph e.vi).

The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus guarantees the right of all citizens to participate in cultural life, assigns responsibility for preserving historical and cultural heritage to the state, and ensures the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus (Articles 15 and 51). Foreign citizens and stateless persons in Belarus are also granted the right to preserve and develop their national languages and cultures, as well as maintain national traditions and customs, per Belarusian legislation (Article 15 of the Law on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus).

Furthermore, under the Law on National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus (Article 6), the state guarantees citizens belonging to national minorities the following rights:

Assistance in the development of national culture and education.
The use of their native language.
Freedom to choose the language of communication, upbringing, and education.
The establishment of cultural ties with compatriots outside Belarus.
Preservation of their historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage and the free development of their culture, including professional and amateur arts.

Article 4 of the same law states that direct or indirect restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens based on their belonging to a national minority, as well as attempts at forced assimilation, are prohibited.

According to Article 2 of the Belarusian Cultural Code, one of the principles of public relations in the field of culture is the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus.

Article 39 of the same code ensures that citizens belonging to national communities or originating from another cultural environment have the right to preserve and develop their national culture, raise children in national cultural traditions, use their native language, and establish cultural ties with representatives of national communities living abroad, provided it does not conflict with legislative acts. Each citizen is guaranteed the right to cultural identity, revival, preservation, and development of national cultural traditions.

While these legal provisions exist, they are often declarative. In practice, systematic violations and the legalisation of unlawful behaviour targeting certain national minorities are characteristic of modern Belarus.

Promotion of Russian narratives, Russification, and unequal treatment of national minorities

According to conclusions drawn from the study “Russification of Belarus: The Cultural Sphere (2022–2023)” ^[7], the processes of Russification are widely evident in the cultural field^[8]:

In literature and library services, Belarusian authors and publications are displaced by Russian ones.
In heritage and approaches to preserving historical memory – anti-Western rhetoric and distortion of historical truth to favour Russia.
In the film industry – invited Russian stars and directors dominate Belarusian cinema, and there is an increase in the volume of Russian content in the country’s cinemas.
In the education system, active work with youth and teachers is aimed at popularising the Russian language and culture.
In the urban environment – Russification through monumental propaganda and rejection of Belarusian Latin script in geographic names.
In the media, there has been expanded collaboration in the informational field and increased cooperation with Russian media and experts.

The process of Russification is supported inside the country by state media’s anti-Belarusian propaganda and the encouragement of pro-Russian activists who attack Belarusian national culture with impunity.

Changes related to Russification in the country’s cultural sphere raise questions about Belarus’s cultural and political identity. The formation of a unified cultural space between the two countries has intensified in recent years and poses a real threat to Belarusian sovereignty and identity.

Destruction of the shared heritage of Belarus and Poland (“state-sponsored vandalism”)

Cultural rights at the international level are enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Article 15) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Article 5, paragraph e.vi).

According to Article 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the state is responsible for preserving historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage and ensuring the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus.

Under Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus,” the state guarantees citizens belonging to national minorities the following rights:

Assistance in the development of national culture and education.
Preservation of their historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage.
Protection against direct or indirect restrictions on their rights and freedoms based on belonging to a national minority and against forced assimilation (Article 4).

According to Article 39 of the Cultural Code of the Republic of Belarus, every citizen is guaranteed the right to cultural identity, revival, preservation, and development of national cultural traditions.

For citizens belonging to the Polish minority in Belarus, these rights have been systematically violated since 2020. Below are some public examples:

On orders from local authorities, the 1920 Battle of Warsaw fresco, a pivotal moment in the Soviet-Polish War, was painted over in the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (listed in the State Register of Historical and Cultural Values of Belarus) in the agricultural town of Sola, Hrodna Region. This action was preceded by a propaganda report aired on state television in December 2022. Notably, this fresco had also been painted over during the Soviet era.

In April 2023, it became known that the regime’s representatives destroyed a commemorative granite plaque at a cemetery near the village of Varziany, Astraviec District, where 18 Home Army soldiers who perished in 1944 were buried ^[9].

In August 2022, memorial markers were removed from the graves of Polish soldiers at the Military Cemetery in Hrodna.

Local authorities removed a memorial dedicated to the 1863–1864 uprising from the Hrodna railway station and replaced it with a plaque commemorating Soviet underground resistance fighters.

Ten tourist information stands, installed for the 180th birthday anniversary of Eliza Orzeszkowa (1841–1910), a Polish-speaking writer and cultural figure from the Hrodna region, have disappeared.

During June and July 2022, no fewer than 12 memorial sites in the Hrodna region were damaged. In the villages of Jedkavičy, Stryjeŭka ^[10], Surkanty, Plabaniški, Mikuliški, Kačyčy, Pieskaŭcy, Bahdany, Babrovičy, Dyndyliški, as well as in Vaŭkavysk and Ašmiany, individual and mass graves of soldiers were destroyed, monuments were demolished, and commemorative plaques were removed from crosses.

By the decision of the local authorities, a memorial plaque dedicated to the soldiers of the Home Army was removed from the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Iŭie [11].

At the end of October 2022, a monument on the grave of Polish Army soldiers who died in 1920 near the village of Feliksava, Lida district, was vandalised. This act of vandalism was preceded by a publication on 5 October in the state-run newspaper Sovetskaya Belorussiya. Belarus Segodnya, in which propagandist Ludmila Hladkaja expressed outrage that members of the Home Army were buried in the Lida cemetery and that the monument to Polish Army soldiers bore the inscription “died for their homeland in 1919–1920.” She wrote: “For their homeland, you understand? In other words, the Polish occupiers already considered Western Belarus theirs. I have a question: does this situation not bother state officials or specialists responsible for ideology and historical memory (as well as municipal services) on the ground? ^[12]

In December 2022, the Katyn Cross at the Military Cemetery in central Hrodna—a monument to Polish officers executed by Stalin’s secret police NKVD in 1940—was damaged ^[13].

In Minsk, a cross commemorating Catholic priest Vincent Hadleŭski, one of the most prominent figures of Western Belarus in the 1930s, was removed from the grounds of the Church of St. Roch ^[14].

At the site of mass executions in Kurapaty, crosses were once again desecrated, including a cross in memory of politician, historian, and writer Vacłaŭ Łastoŭski, as well as Polish victims of the repressions. Insulting inscriptions in Russian appeared on the crosses: on the cross honouring Łastoŭski, the word “vampire,” and on the cross for Polish victims, the phrase “Sit in Kresy, Poles! Remember the gallows.” ^[15]

Liquidation of non-profit organisations that support national minorities

The freedom of association is an inalienable right of citizens, enshrined in international acts (Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) and the Constitution of Belarus (Article 36). While this right is not directly classified as cultural, its implementation for cultural and national associations is closely linked to the ability or inability to exercise cultural rights.

As per Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus,” the state guarantees citizens belonging to national minorities the following rights:

Assistance from the state in developing national culture and education.
The right to use their native language.
The right to choose the language of communication and education.
The right to establish cultural ties with compatriots abroad.
The right to preserve their historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage and to freely develop their culture, including professional and amateur art.

According to Article 2 of the Cultural Code of the Republic of Belarus, one of the principles of public relations in the field of culture is the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus.

Under Article 39 of the Cultural Code, citizens residing in Belarus and belonging to national communities or originating from another cultural environment have the right to preserve and develop their national culture, raise children in national cultural traditions, use their native language, and establish cultural ties with representatives of their national communities living in other countries, provided this does not contradict the law. Every citizen is guaranteed the right to cultural identity, revival, preservation, and the development of national cultural traditions.

The mass and systematic forced liquidation of non-profit organisations in Belarus from 2020 to 2023 has directly impacted organisations involved in preserving and developing national cultures and traditions.

The rights of citizens belonging to Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, and other minorities in Belarus have been systematically violated since 2020. Below are just some public examples:

Since January 2021, “Lawtrend“, together with AEEC, has been monitoring the forced liquidation of non-profit organisations.

In 2021, 316 non-profit organisations were subjected to judicial proceedings. As a result, the country’s civil sector lost organisations across various fields, including at least 98 directly connected to culture. At least 10 of these specifically focused on cultural development and diversity.

In 2022, 74 cultural organisations were forcibly liquidated, including literary, theatrical, historical, and dance NGOs. Among these were 25 of the oldest organisations supporting national minorities in Belarus, many founded in the 1990s, such as: the Club of Polish Folk Traditions (1994), the Polish Scientific Society (1994), the Society of Polish Culture in Lida (founded in 1994, it focused on preserving historical memory in the region by installing memorial plaques, including for participants in the 1863 uprising, commemorating notable Poles, caring for the graves of Polish soldiers, publishing local history books, and teaching Polish language and history), “Polska Macierz Szkolna” (1996), the Cultural Center (1992), The Belarusian Society of Germans “German House” (1997) ^[16], the Belarusian music and art development institution “EthnoTradition,” the Viciebsk ecological and cultural-educational community “Way from Varangians to Greeks” ^[17], “Wspólnota Polaków” (2019), the Braslaŭ District Lithuanian Association “Rytas” (2000) ^[18], the NGO “Gimtinė” (the first Lithuanian organisation officially registered in Belarus in 1993), the club “Gervėčiai” (a Lithuanian organisation registered in 1994, with 394 members), the Belarusian-Iranian Friendship Society, the Ašmiany Roma Community, the Belarusian Roma Association “Roma,” the Ukrainian Cultural Center “SICH,” the public association “Syrian Community,” the International Public Organization of Armenians “Urartu.” ^[19]

Since the start of the targeted campaign to eliminate Belarusian civil society (in late 2020), at least 262 culture-related organisations have been forcibly liquidated. ^[20]

In 2021, authorities exerted pressure on members and activists of the Union of Poles in Belarus and the Polish minority across the country. The LLC “Polish School” in Brest was liquidated. There has been no visible activity of the Polish Institute in Minsk; its website and social media pages have not been updated since spring-summer 2021. ^[21]

Pro-regime non-profit organisations loyal to Alaksandr Lukašenka, which ignore issues related to the violation of citizens’ rights in Belarus, continue to operate and implement the regime’s ideology to create a semblance of pluralism. An example is the pro-government Union of Poles led by Alaksandr Sanhin, a National Assembly’s House of Representatives member. ^[22]

Violation of the right of national minorities to use their native language in education and religion

According to Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus,” the state guarantees citizens who identify as members of national minorities the following rights: assistance from the state in the development of national culture and education, the right to use their native language, the right to choose their language of communication, and the right to select the language of upbringing and education freely.

According to Article 4 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus,” direct or indirect restrictions on the rights and freedoms of citizens of Belarus due to their belonging to a national minority, as well as attempts to assimilate them against their will, are not permitted.

Despite these legislative provisions, because of systematic efforts toward the Russification of education and culture in Belarus, from autumn 2022, national minorities (notably Polish and Lithuanian, but not exclusively) have been deprived of the opportunity to study in their native language. On 1 September, amendments to the Law “On Education” ^[23] came into force, stipulating that the language of instruction can only be one of the state languages (Russian or Belarusian). ^[24]

Thus, in Polish schools in Hrodna and Vaŭkavysk, since the 2022/2023 academic year, teaching has been conducted in Russian, with Polish reduced to a single subject—language and literature—taught for one hour per week.

The same happened with the only Lithuanian school in the country—Rymdziuny Secondary School—where students lost the opportunity to study in Lithuanian. Another Lithuanian school—Pelesa Secondary School—was closed by the authorities shortly before the start of the new academic year, citing “several identified violations.” ^[25] The school in Pelesa was the first Lithuanian national school in Belarus, founded by the Lithuanian Cultural Fund and the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania. Teaching was conducted per the educational plans and curricula of the Belarusian Ministry of Education. Pelesa, located in the Voranava district, had 127 students and 23 teachers, while Rymdziuny, in the Astraviec district, had 82 students and 18 teachers.

Lithuania urged Belarus to comply with its obligations under participation in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), particularly those related to guarantees of education in the languages of national minorities. However, the Belarusian authorities did not heed this appeal. ^[26]

According to available information, two Lithuanian and two Polish schools ^[27] have effectively been liquidated. The Economic Court of the Brest Region ruled to close the “Polish School” LLC. On 19 April 2021, the same court considered the case filed by the Brest prosecutor on the formal grounds of “protecting state and public interests of Brest’s Leninsky District Administration.”

Officials in the Hrodna region opposed using the Polish language in Roman Catholic churches in Belarus. During a meeting with clergy to discuss problematic issues, they declared the Polish language illegal in Catholic churches. This was even documented in Roman Catholic Church records in Belarus from synodal sessions held between 1996 and 2000. Clergy noted several reasons for the presence of Polish in churches: Western Belarus was once part of Poland, and Catholic priests predominantly came to Belarus from Poland, bringing Polish prayer texts since Belarusian religious texts were unavailable, while Russian culture was almost always associated with the occupation ^[28].

On 30 June 2021, Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Belarus had demanded that the Goethe-Institut and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) cease operations within one month. The Goethe-Institut is a key organisation that teaches the German language and culture worldwide ^[29].

The institute’s director, Jakob Racek, wrote that recent efforts had focused on winding down language and education projects and library services. “We have supported entire generations in learning German, opening new professional and personal opportunities for them. Together with many cultural figures, we brought life to cultural dialogue between our countries. In the centre of Minsk, we created a place where people could study, read, communicate, and celebrate. ^[30]

Such discriminatory practices violate both Belarusian domestic legislation and international acts (including Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination).

Punishments for displaying Ukraine’s state symbols, violation of the right to freedom of speech in support of Ukraine after the start of Russia’s military aggression

Freedom of speech and thought are fundamental human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 19). The Republic of Belarus has committed to adhering to these international agreements, guaranteeing its citizens the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognises the right to peaceful assembly. Similarly, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 20) proclaims the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

These principles are also enshrined in the Constitution of Belarus (Articles 33 and 35).

Furthermore, the Constitution guarantees all citizens the right to participate in cultural life. It assigns the responsibility to preserve historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage and to promote the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus to the state (Articles 15 and 51).

According to Article 2 of the Cultural Code of Belarus, one of the principles governing cultural relations is the free development of the cultures of all national communities residing in Belarus.

Thus, the state cannot prosecute or stigmatise the use of legally permitted foreign symbols (official flags, emblems) and expressions.

On 24 February 2022, repressions began in Belarus against those expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people, particularly anti-war statements (including but not limited to “No to war!”, “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”) and the use of official Ukrainian symbols (the national flag and the Trident emblem), as well as combinations of blue and yellow colours. The following incidents of persecution represent violations of the human right to freedom of expression and opinion and the use of legally permitted symbols as a form of free expression and national identity ^[31]. In essence, this also constitutes discrimination based on nationality and political beliefs.

Priest Andżej Juchnievič was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest for posting photos on Facebook featuring the white-red-white flag and the flag of Ukraine under Article 24.23, Part 1, of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the established order of picketing) ^[32].
Priest Pavieł Lemiech was sentenced to 10 days of arrest for posting on Facebook the pictures of protests in Minsk, white-red-white flags and the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags “without permission of the Šumilina District Executive Committee.” ^[33]
In Brest, event agency directors Jury Kapucki (Vaša Sviata) and Rusłan Daniłkovič (Event Cafe) were detained. In a video recorded by the police, Kapucki explained that he was detained for “extremist” reposts and publications on his page featuring slogans like “Glory to Ukraine!” and “Glory to the heroes!” ^[34]
In Minsk, a man was detained for driving around the city with white-red-white and blue-yellow ribbons ^[35].
Employees of the Mozyr Oil Refinery were detained after videos were found on their phones showing gatherings where they expressed support for Ukraine: “Glory to Ukraine! Belarusians for their native, fraternal Ukraine! Glory to the heroes! Glory to Ukraine!” ^[36]
In Navapolack, an employee of the Palimir plant and long-distance runner, Andrej Bierazoŭski, was punished for supporting Ukraine and holding an online picket on social media under Article 24.23, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The court found that he publicly shared photographs and an image with the caption “Glory to Ukraine” on a blue-and-yellow background on his Facebook page. ^[37]
Businessman Uładzimir Tyčynski from Mahiloŭ was detained for keeping a Ukrainian flag in his car. In a propaganda broadcast on the Belarus 4 state TV channel, the official Ukrainian flag was described as a “Ukrainian nationalist symbol.”
A Minsker was detained for “storing protest symbols,” including Ukraine’s official coat of arms – Trident. Police used a song about the Russian private military company “Wagner Group” as a soundtrack for the video depicting the detainee. ^[38]
A young man was detained for tattoos featuring the Pahonia (the historical Belarusian coat of arms) and the Ukrainian coat of arms. A video of him appeared on a pro-government Telegram channel, in which he stated that he got the Pahonia tattoo in 2021 “as a symbol of protest activity” and the Trident tattoo in 2022 in support of Ukraine. ^[39]
In Minsk, a chef was detained for tattooing Ukraine’s coat of arms on his arm. ^[40]
Six men were detained and convicted in Minsk for hanging a stitched white-red-white flag alongside the Ukrainian flag on a power line pylon. The next day, Anton Matolka’s Telegram channel posted a photo of the flags with the caption: “Minsk residents congratulate the Ukrainian people on the great news from the Crimean Bridge. Crimea is Ukraine! Long live Belarus! Glory to Ukraine!” ^[41]

Designation of works and materials as “extremist”

The right, as mentioned above, to participate in cultural life includes a range of obligations for the state:

Respect: The state must not interfere (directly or indirectly) in a person’s exercise of their right to participate in cultural life. This means that the state must refrain from making decisions or actions by state authorities that violate cultural rights.
Protect: The state must take all possible measures to prevent interference by third parties (physical or legal persons) on its territory and under its jurisdiction in a person’s exercise of their right to participation in cultural life.
Fulfil: The state must take all necessary measures at the policy level to ensure the fullest realisation of cultural rights. ^[42]

When state bodies interpret the concept of “extremist materials” very broadly and include works and content that provide justified criticism of the current regime, this results in violations of citizens’ cultural rights (Article 51 of the Constitution of Belarus, Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights).

If these violations affect the resources that implement programs to support national minorities in Belarus or were created by representatives of national minorities themselves, such actions also violate the provisions of Articles 4 and 6 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus” and paragraphs (e)(vi) of Article 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Some examples:

Radio Racyja (a Poland-based media outlet supporting Polish culture and language and critical of the Belarusian government) and MOST (MOST – Poland and Belarus: the Polish-Belarusian cross-border outlet) were included in the List of Extremist Materials. ^[43] In late July 2022, Polish websites polskieradio.pl and polskieradio24.pl were also added to the list of extremist materials. ^[44]
In 2023, the List of Extremist Materials included the collection Polskie piesni patriotyczne (Polish Patriotic Songs), ^[45] the book Liberated and Enslaved: The Polish-Belarusian Borderlands, 1939–1941, in Documents from Belarusian Archives (Minsk: publisher Zmicier Kołas, 2021), and the book History of Poland from Ancient Times to the Present Day edited by Anna Sucheni-Grabowska and Eugeniusz Cezary Król, published in 1995 in both Russian and Polish, authored by Alicja Dybkowska, Małgorzata Żaryn, and Jan Żaryn.
The informational products of the Union of Poles in Belarus’ website znadniemna.pl were designated extremist as early as 30 December 2021. In May 2022, the same fate befell its mirror site nadniemnemgrodno.pl ^[46]
The List of Extremist Materials includes the YouTube channel BalaganOFF Ukraine Belarus, identifiable at https://www.youtube.com/c/BalaganOFF, the Telegram group UNIAN – Ukraine News | War, identifiable at https://t.me/uniannet, and an identifier containing the sequence of digits 1001105313000. Also included was informational content posted on the Belarus-Ukraine for Peace! page on the social network Odnoklassniki, with the identifier https://ok.ru/belarusukr.

Persecution of representatives of the Polish minority in Belarus and individuals who develop the Polish language and culture

In practice, not only the rights of national minorities are often restricted. Activists who attempt to exercise the rights provided by international law and Belarusian domestic legislation face persecution.

In February 2023, poet, journalist, and member of the unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus, Andžej Pačobut (Andrzej Poczobut), stood trial and was sentenced to eight years in a high-security penal colony. The criminal prosecution was linked to Andrzej Poczobut’s statements defending the Polish minority in Belarus.

The charges against the journalist stated that Poczobut described the Soviet Union’s 1939 invasion of Poland as aggression. Additionally, he was accused of making statements defending the Polish minority in Belarus, as well as his articles about the 2020 Belarusian protests in Gazeta Wyborcza and a piece in Magazyn Polski written in 2006 about Anatol Radziwonik, one of the leaders of the Polish anti-communist underground resistance in the Hrodna region. ^[47]

The Belarusian KGB also included Andrzej Poczobut in its list of individuals involved in “terrorist activities.” ^[48] He has been recognised as a political prisoner ^[49]. Human rights organisations such as PEN International and Belarusian PEN have repeatedly called for Poczobut’s release, declaring his sentencing as unlawful and an infringement on his rights to freedom of speech and participation in cultural life. ^[50]

The head of the unregistered Union of Poles in Belarus, Anžalika Borys (Andżelika Borys), also faced persecution. She was accused of allegedly promoting “destructive ideas aimed at glorifying war crimes, justifying the genocide of the Belarusian people, and inciting national and religious hatred and discord.” Borys has also been recognised as a political prisoner. ^[51]

In February 2022, Renata Dziem’jančuk, the deputy chairperson of the Union of Poles in Belarus, was detained. In November, searches were conducted at her home and that of Irena Valuś, the chairperson of the Union’s council. In April, the police summoned activist Anžalika Arechava from the Union of Poles in Belarus “for a conversation,” reportedly initiating administrative proceedings against her over a Facebook post.

In November, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Hrodna region filed a case with the Economic Court seeking to liquidate the Klerygata limited company, which had been effectively facilitating the activities of the Union of Poles in Belarus. The liquidation process began in late December.

The informational materials of the Union of Poles in Belarus’ website, znadniemna.pl, were designated extremist as early as 30 December 2021. ^[52]

Minsk’s Maskoŭski District Court issued a ruling in administrative proceedings against Iryna Zimnieva, director of the Slavic Languages and Cultures Center “Slavcentr.” She was fined 20 base units (740 Belarusian rubles, approximately 295 USD). Police searched the main office and confiscated all computers. The “Slavcentr” organised courses in Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, and other Slavic languages and provided consultations on obtaining the Pole’s Card and enrolling with Polish universities. ^[53]

Thus, one can conclude that there have been significant violations of the rights of representatives of the Polish national minority in Belarus.

Сancellation or non-implementation of cultural events associated with specific national minorities, as well as bans on public performances of music created by specific foreign musical collectives

Violations of the rights of national minorities to participate in cultural life (Article 51 of the Constitution of Belarus, Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) include the following cases of bans and non-implementation of cultural events in Belarus involving representatives of national minorities and foreign citizens:

Since 2020, the international Christian music festival Mighty God (Mahutny Boża), which previously involved creative collectives from various denominations, has not been held in Belarus. ^[54]
In Pinsk, scheduled events to mark 90 years since the birth of renowned Polish writer and journalist Ryszard Kapuściński were cancelled on recommendations from national security agencies.
The Hrodna Regional Executive Committee suspended the process of naming the Astraviec District Library after literary critic, translator, and scholar Adam Maldzis due to pressure from a pro-government activist regarding the alleged “pro-Polishness” of this outstanding compatriot. ^[55]
A “stop list” of artists banned in Belarus was published in open sources. The list contains 87 bands and performers, including Ukrainian rock bands and artists such as Okean Elzy, Nervy, Potap and Nastya, Valentin Strykalo, the Meladze brothers, Tina Karol, and Max Barskih. Almost every second artist/band on the list (38 out of 87) represents the Russian music scene, while one in five (18 out of 87) are Ukrainian musicians. ^[56]

Inadequate maintenance of cultural heritage objects shared with national minorities

According to Article 15 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the state is responsible for preserving historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage.

Per Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On National Minorities in the Republic of Belarus,” the state guarantees Belarus citizens who identify as belonging to national minorities the right to preserve their historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage. Direct or indirect restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Belarusian citizens based on their belonging to a national minority, as well as attempts at forced assimilation, are prohibited (Article 4).

According to Article 39 of the Belarusian Culture Code, every citizen is guaranteed the right to cultural identity, revival, preservation, and development of national cultural traditions.

The listed rights of citizens related to national minorities in Belarus are systematically violated.

According to data from PEN Belarus, 80 violations have been documented, most of which are related to the poor maintenance of immovable heritage sites in Belarus, including the shared heritage of Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine (churches, cathedrals, estates, synagogues, and other historical buildings), the lack of conservation work, low-quality restoration efforts, and in some cases, even demolition, as well as the lack of protected status. ^[57]

The State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus includes 5,350 immovable material and cultural assets. Still, conservation projects have been developed for only 385 of the 1,602 heritage sites, which accounts for just 31% of the total. ^[58]

Conclusions and recommendations

This monitoring report shows that there has been a systematic violation of the cultural rights of national minorities in Belarus since 2020. The state’s policy promotes Russification and encourages the destruction of cultural heritage shared with Poland and Lithuania, the liquidation of independent cultural non-profit organisations, and the prohibition of native languages in educational and religious spheres. The practice of persecuting activists, labelling materials supporting national minorities as “extremist,” and restricting freedom of speech highlights the systemic nature of the problem. These actions contradict the Constitution of Belarus and the country’s international obligations and do not contribute to friendly relations with neighbouring countries.

To address the identified violations, we recommend that state authorities responsible for ensuring the rights of national minorities in Belarus take the following actions:

End the policy of discrimination against national minorities and ensure the implementation of citizens’ rights to cultural diversity as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and international agreements.
Halt the practice of liquidating and persecuting cultural non-profit organisations and facilitate their restoration.
Ensure the opportunity for education in native languages in schools for national minorities.
Stop the destruction of shared cultural heritage sites and take measures for their restoration and protection.
Cease the persecution of activists and representatives of national minorities for their cultural and public activism and release political prisoners.
Remove culture-related information resources and works from the list of extremist materials and ensure free access to cultural products related to national minorities.
Protect cultural heritage sites, develop and approve conservation projects for all objects in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus.
Ensure transparency in the work of state bodies regarding the implementation of state cultural policies and the rights to cultural diversity.

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