In a report published on Tuesday 12 May, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) paints a damning picture of the human rights situation in Belarus. Launched in January 2025, the study describes an “increasingly restrictive” political landscape under Prime Minister Alexander Lukashenko’s seventh term in office, in which the judicial system has become a veritable “tool of political repression” (see EUROPE 13717/18).
The report stresses that the authorities are conducting a “systematic campaign of repression” against any form of dissent, in particular against those involved in the mass protests of 2020 and early 2025. Citizens are prosecuted for simple online criticism, their support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion or their affiliation with organisations deemed “extremist” (see EUROPE 13850/27).
In 2025, 3,800 Belarusians applied for asylum in the EU+ (the 27 Member States, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein), mainly in Poland. Despite a drop in the overall volume of applications at the beginning of this year, the recognition rate remains high (71%), with more than three-quarters of positive decisions resulting in subsidiary protection.
Read the full report: https://aeur.eu/f/lwb (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)