366 NGOs are in the process of forced liquidation in Belarus

March 11, BPN. In February 2022, the number of NGOs in the process of forced liquidation increased by 24, reaching a total of 366, according to the monthly review on freedom of association and civil society organizations in Belarus, prepared by Legal Transformation Center Lawtrend.

In the monitoring period, lawsuits were filed for forced liquidation of the International Association Ecology and Childhood, public associations Fund of Youth Housing Construction, Society of Polish Culture in Lida District, Youth Association of Visually Impaired Students, APB BirdLife Belarus, and others.

On February 24, Mahilioŭ District Court ruled to liquidate the last officially registered human rights organization – the public association Mahilioŭ Human Rights Center.

According to Lawtrend, a common justification for the liquidation of NGOs remains the claim that their management or members are carrying out extremist activities.

For instance, the liquidation suit of APB BirdLife Belarus states that the organization “carries out extremist activities aimed at destabilizing the social and political situation in the country under the guise of volunteer bird rescue.”

The Lawtrend review noted that the practice of forced liquidations resumed in February on simplified rules, without a court decision. This is how the Center for Psychological Initiatives, OUTLOUD (Makeout initiative), and others were liquidated.

As of February 28, the media knew of 223 NGOs that the founders themselves or a body authorized by their charter chose to liquidate. The decision to self-liquidate “is made primarily because of the unfavorable legal environment, the overall social and political situation in the country, and often under pressure from the authorities,” human rights defenders noted.