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

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

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.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

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.

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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