Viasna: political imprisonments outnumbered pardons in Belarus in 2025

December 31, Pozirk. About 360 designated political prisoners have been pardoned this year, including 143 in December, the Viasna Human Rights Center said, noting that at least 509 people were imprisoned in 2025 on charges widely seen as politically motivated.
A total of 9,282 people have faced politically-motivated criminal prosecution in Belarus since 2020, with more than 8,000 convicted of criminal offences in such cases, the group said in its recent report.
As of December 31, human rights defenders identified at least 1,131 political prisoners, including 167 women and nearly 170 individuals listed as particularly vulnerable.
Since May 2020, rights groups have designated a total of 4,339 people as political prisoners.
Reprisals and crackdown on dissidents continue unabated since the 2020 postelection protests in Belarus.
Rights group reports more than 1,250 political convictions in 2025
- PoliticsŁatuška plays up opposition political institutionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SportEuropean volleyball confederation allows Belarusian junior athletes to participate in competitions without restrictionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsOpposition’s social policy chief urges EU to take stance on forced expulsionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPołack-based opposition activists sentenced to two years in prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsLithuania granted asylum to two Belarusians last monthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCabinet authorizes Biełenerha to act as operator in common power market with RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarusian residence permit holders fall below 50,000 in LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityLithuanian intelligence: Łukašenka to keep up aggressive policy toward LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityFM Ryžankoŭ expresses concern over Iran’s drone strikes on AzerbaijanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyCPJ urges Minsk to free radio host ChamienkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInterior ministry designates 20 as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsCompany linked to ex-Cyprus president helped Łukašenka's allies bypass EU sanctions — reportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus' goods trade deficit narrows to $212 million in JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsBelarusian foreign minister expresses support to UAE amid strikes by IranThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsCichanoŭskaja to business executives: investment in democracy pays offThe material is available only to POZIRK+



