UN experts: Belarus justice system used to target Lukashenko opponents
UN experts have found that Belarus's courts, police, security services, prosecutors and prison authorities work together to silence critics of the government. The findings describe a coordinated system directed against political opponents.
UN experts have concluded that Belarus's law enforcement and judicial institutions are being systematically used to target opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko and other critics of the government.
Coordinated institutional action
According to the experts' findings, several state bodies are involved in silencing dissent — courts, police, security services, prosecutors and prison authorities. The experts note that these institutions do not act in isolation but in coordination, forming a unified mechanism directed against those who criticize the authorities.
Impact on critics
The report emphasizes that this cooperation between institutions allows for the effective silencing of individuals who express disagreement with the ruling government. UN experts view the situation as evidence that principles of the rule of law and judicial independence are not being upheld in Belarus when it comes to political opponents.
The findings raise questions about how state institutions, which would normally be expected to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law, are instead being used for the opposite purpose — repressive action against critical voices in society.
