Belarus: A Totalitarian State In The Making?

Belarus has been described as the last dictatorship in Europe, ruled with an iron fist by President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. The country has been criticised for its human rights abuses, with political opponents facing harsh penalties for organising protests, and a lack of free and fair elections. However, while Belarus has been described as a totalitarian country, it is important to note that the controls on society are not as all-encompassing as those typically seen in totalitarian states.

The Belarusian government's grounding of a passenger plane to arrest a dissident journalist

The grounding of a Ryanair passenger plane by the Belarusian government in May 2021 has been widely condemned as an act of "aircraft piracy" and a tactic reminiscent of totalitarian states. The incident, which involved diverting a flight from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, to Minsk, Belarus, under the false pretence of a bomb threat, resulted in the arrest of Raman Pratasevich, a dissident journalist and activist critical of the Belarusian regime.

Pratasevich, who was living in exile, was the founder of Nexta, a Telegram messaging app channel with 1.4 million followers. This channel played a significant role in organising mass protests against the disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which resulted in a sixth term for authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. The forced landing of the plane and Pratasevich's subsequent arrest sparked international outrage and led to new sanctions against Belarus, as well as airspace restrictions on its national airline.

The U.S. Department of Justice charged four senior Belarusian officials, including Leonid Mikalaevich Churo, Director General of the Belarusian state air navigation authority, with conspiracy to commit aircraft piracy. According to court documents, Churo personally communicated the false bomb threat and directed the flight to divert to Minsk. The indictment emphasised the danger of such actions, which "shattered" international norms and endangered the lives of passengers, including four U.S. citizens.

The incident has been interpreted as a stark illustration of the Belarusian government's willingness to go to extreme lengths to suppress dissent. UN Special Rapporteur Anaïs Marin characterised the incident as a "purge" of undesirable elements, typical of totalitarian states. The grounding of the plane and arrest of Pratasevich occurred against a backdrop of widespread repression in Belarus, including the arbitrary detention of over 35,000 people, torture, and the systematic destruction of civil society and independent media.

The Belarusian government's actions in this case, and the subsequent cover-up, demonstrate a blatant disregard for international norms, human rights, and the safety of passengers on board the flight. The incident has brought increased scrutiny of the Lukashenko regime's authoritarian tactics and sparked further condemnation from the international community.

The country's authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko

Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus, has been in power since 1994. Dubbed "Europe's last dictator", Lukashenko has been criticised for his repressive policies, human rights violations, and crackdown on dissent.

Lukashenko's administration has been characterised by a consolidation of power, with the president enacting decrees that carry the same weight as laws. Elections are not considered free and fair, and the media is not free. Opponents of the regime are repressed, and there have been several cases of persecution, including the disappearance or death of prominent opposition leaders and independent journalists.

Under Lukashenko, Belarus has been described as a "classic reaction phase of the authoritarian and increasingly totalitarian regime". The country exhibits features of classic totalitarianism, such as a cult of personality, militarisation, and pervasive state control. The regime has introduced mandatory military classes and patriotic education, and appointed former security officers to lead state companies and cultural institutions.

The government has also targeted independent media and NGOs, with hundreds of NGOs being liquidated and deemed extremist. The remaining pockets of civil society that have survived did so because they are non-political and do not engage in activism.

Lukashenko's crackdown on dissent intensified following the 2020 disputed presidential election, which sparked mass pro-democracy protests. The violent suppression of these protests led to a new era of political repression and triggered a major emigration wave. Thousands of protesters have been detained and tortured, and the government has constructed prison camps for dissidents.

On the international stage, Lukashenko's Belarus has been accused of forcibly preventing any form of opposition, as evidenced by the grounding of a passenger plane in Minsk to arrest a dissident journalist. This incident led a UN official to compare Belarus to a 'totalitarian state', stating that it "illustrates the desire of authorities to end all forms of dissidence by purging society of elements it considers undesirable".

Lukashenko's regime has been subjected to sanctions by the EU and the US due to its authoritarian and anti-democratic practices. However, the effectiveness of these sanctions has been limited, as the regime has adapted with the help of Russia. The future of Belarus remains uncertain, but it is clear that Lukashenko's authoritarian and repressive policies have had a significant impact on the country's political landscape.

The regime's violent crackdown on mass pro-democracy protests

The 2020–2021 Belarusian protests were the largest anti-government demonstrations in the country's history. They were sparked by disputed elections in August 2020, in which long-serving authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed victory with 80% of the vote. However, the election was widely condemned as rigged by international observers, and mass protests broke out across the country.

The protests were met with a violent crackdown by the Lukashenko regime. Security forces used rubber bullets, stun grenades, tear gas, and water cannons against protesters, and in some cases, live ammunition. Hundreds of thousands of people were detained, and many were subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

The crackdown was not limited to the streets. The authorities also targeted independent media outlets, journalists, and human rights defenders. Websites were blocked, and internet access was severely restricted. Journalists covering the protests were detained, beaten, and stripped of their accreditation.

The violent response to the protests resulted in international condemnation. The European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials involved in the crackdown. The United Nations Human Rights Council held an urgent debate on Belarus and adopted a resolution calling for close monitoring of the situation.

Despite the repression, the protest movement continued, and by the end of 2020, mass protests had ceased. However, the authorities have continued to pursue protesters, with thousands facing criminal charges and human rights groups documenting ongoing torture and ill-treatment. The crackdown has been described as an attempt to build a totalitarian state in Belarus, with the UN's special rapporteur for the country stating that the government is trying to end all forms of dissidence.

The government's suppression of independent media

The government of Belarus has been accused of suppressing independent media and freedom of expression, both online and offline. This is in violation of its international obligations and OSCE commitments.

The Belarusian government has blocked independent media and opposition websites, and disrupted access to social media. They have also cut off internet access multiple times, particularly following the disputed 2020 election, in an attempt to prevent the public from organising and promoting protests, and to deprive them of the freedom to seek and receive information.

The government has also targeted journalists specifically, with mass arrests, detentions, and the revocation of accreditation. In 2020, over 50 journalists were arrested in a single night of protests. These journalists were from both Belarusian and international media outlets, including the BBC, AP, Deutsche Welle, AFP, Reuters, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Two Moscow-based Associated Press journalists were deported to Russia. In 2021, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reported more than 60 cases of criminal prosecution of journalists and bloggers. As of 2023, 33 journalists were in jail, including chief editors Marina Zolotova and Jahor Marcinovič, and reporters Katerina Andreeva and Darya Chultsova. Overall, 27 journalists are currently in custody, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

The Belarusian government monopolises the media, owning all TV channels and most radio and print media. The Law on Mass Media has been amended multiple times, making it extremely difficult for independent journalists and publications to operate. European, Ukrainian, and other foreign news websites have been blocked, and foreign journalists have had their accreditations cancelled. The Belarusian constitution guarantees freedom of speech, but in practice, this is contradicted by repressive and restrictive laws. Any criticism of President Lukashenko and his government is considered a criminal offence, and anti-extremism legislation is used to target independent journalism.

The government has also been accused of using politicised court rulings to oppress independent media and any voices that are not completely loyal to the regime. In 2021, the Ministry of Information of Belarus (MIB) was given the power to shut down media outlets without a court decision, and news media were banned from live reporting on unauthorised mass gatherings. In 2023, a new set of restrictive amendments to the Law on Mass Media allowed authorities to ban foreign media outlets from unfriendly countries.

The Belarusian media environment has been described as one of the most repressive in Europe, with Belarus ranked 157th in the World Press Freedom Index as of 2023.

The country's use of torture and cruel treatment

The use of torture and cruel treatment in Belarus has been well-documented since the 2020 elections, with the country facing an unprecedented level of violence. From 9 to 12 August 2020, more than 7,000 peaceful protesters were detained, with reports of beatings, torture, and cruel treatment at the hands of security forces.

Amnesty International and local human rights groups have collected testimonies from protesters who describe being stripped naked, beaten, and threatened with rape while in detention. In some cases, protesters were forced to lie face down on the floor for several hours or stand against walls, being beaten at the slightest movement. There are also reports of violence against women and children, including sexual violence and rape.

The Belarusian security forces have been accused of using excessive force and inflicting cruel and inhumane treatment on detainees. Protesters have reported being kicked, punched, and beaten with truncheons. Some have also been subjected to electric shocks and prolonged stress positions. The abuse has resulted in serious injuries, including broken bones, cracked teeth, skin wounds, electrical burns, and mild traumatic brain injuries. There are also reports of detainees being denied medical care and access to lawyers.

The UN Special Rapporteur, Anaïs Marin, has compared Belarus to a 'totalitarian state', noting that the forced grounding of a passenger plane to arrest a dissident journalist recalled the purges practised by such states. She also warned of the deteriorating situation in the country, with arbitrary detention and torture of thousands of people.

The use of torture and cruel treatment in Belarus has been widely condemned, with calls for international leaders to pressure the Belarusian government to stop the human rights violations. The country's authorities have denied these allegations, claiming that they are maintaining order and protecting national security. However, the international community, human rights organisations, and independent media have presented substantial evidence of the abuses, with the situation in Belarus being deemed a human rights catastrophe.

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