Resistance against dictatorship in Belarus in times of war [EN]

Belarus remains under severe dictatorship with extensive repression, including over 5,472 criminal prosecutions and 50,000+ detentions from 2020-2023

Around 3,380 political prisoners are currently held in Belarusian prisons, facing harsh conditions including torture, isolation, and limited communication with outside world

State control extends beyond prisons - surveillance at workplaces, recruitment of informants, and pressure on relatives of activists are common tactics

Belarus plays crucial role as Russia’s ally in Ukraine war, providing territory for military operations while technically not being officially involved

Death penalty remains legal and is used as tool of political repression, forcing many activists to switch to sabotage tactics

Resistance continues despite repression through various means: railroad sabotage, information sharing, solidarity networks, and support for political prisoners

Lukashenko’s regime is heavily dependent on Russia politically, economically and ideologically, making Belarus effectively a vassal state

Belarusian diaspora maintains resistance networks abroad, though facing challenges like recruitment attempts by security services and pressure on relatives at home

Property confiscation is used as punishment - state seizes homes and assets of political prisoners and exiles

Social control is maintained through extensive surveillance, ideological workers at workplaces, and creating atmosphere of paranoia and self-censorship