According to the Viasna Human Rights Center, Belarus had 1,446 political prisoners as of December 31, 2022. In 2022, 889 new people were recognized as political prisoners.

No less than 6442 people were detained in Belarus throughout 2022. The authorities initiated at least 3727 administrative cases over the exercise by Belarusians of their rights and freedoms, among which 2274 cases resulted in administrative arrests and 938 in administrative fines.

Mass political repressions in Belarus have been going on since the spring of 2020. Law enforcers have been beating people during detention, shooting them and their pets, torturing people in prison, depriving them of any contact with the outside world, and denying them medical care. In addition, since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Belarusians have been persecuted for their anti-war stance.

On average, human rights defenders estimate that about 17 people were detained in Belarus every day in 2022.

Since 2021, the regime has also been systematically targeting civil society in Belarus. As of October 2022, 653 NGOs have been shut down in the country. Some organizations managed to resume their work in exile, including human rights defenders.

Since August 2020, at least 70 lawyers and attorneys have been disbarred after representing repressed individuals and political prisoners.