April 27, 2025

Belarusian Repression Hits a New Low


Belarusian Repression Hits a New Low
The architecture of the Belarusian state house contributes to mental well-being. The Russian Life files

According to a UN report, at least 33 Belarusian dissidents have been forced to undergo psychological treatment since 2020. Of the 33, eight have been released, with 25 unaccounted for, cut off from all communication with the outside world.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of victims because of extreme secrecy surrounding these prisoners.

The UN release relays that the findings were uncovered by independent human rights experts, who are concerned that the forced psychological treatment breaches international human rights law. Reportedly, the oldest person receiving this treatment is 77.

The details of this revelation are likely tied to the protests that rocked the Belarusian capital in 2020. Longstanding President Alexander Lukashenko won reelection with more than 80 percent of the vote, extending a tenure that began in 1994 (and continues; in 2025 Lukashenko won 86 percent of votes). Pro-democracy demonstrators accused authorities of election fraud. In response, the government cracked down, convicting more than 3,200 people.

Protesters were arrested under criminal codes forbidding protesting, insulting the president or other member of the government, and the promotion of "terrorist activities."

Like Russia, Belarus has also seen a tightening of civil liberties in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. President Lukashenko remains a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

You Might Also Like

No Laughing Matter
  • January 28, 2025

No Laughing Matter

A Belarusian comedian has been labeled an "extremist" in his home country.
Belarus Bans Emigrant Connections
  • January 06, 2025

Belarus Bans Emigrant Connections

The Belarusian government has listed a handful of Telegram chats used by Belarusian emigrants living in Warsaw as "extremist materials."
Tinder Breaks Up with Belarus
  • January 25, 2024

Tinder Breaks Up with Belarus

Tinder and other dating apps will exit the Belarussian market after Valentine's Day. How will Belarus find love?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955