Europe Belarus Authorities would be abusing anti-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation to further purge civic space, suppress freedom of expression and eradicate political opposition, according to Anaïs Marin, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus
Europe Belarus The government has commissioned the drafting of a new aquaculture law; the new legal framework is expected to foster the growth of this promising sector
Europe Belarus The electoral commission declared Alexander Lukashenko the winner of the presidential election for the seventh time; the result was widely expected, as he is ruling since 1994 and he is often referred to as 'the last dictator of Europe'
Europe Belarus A ceremony presided by President Lukashenko marked the transition of Minsk's water supply system to underground artesian wells
Europe Belarus In 2024, over 5.800 people were convicted in administrative political trials in Belarus, the Viasna Human Rights Defence Centre reported; independent analysts link this to the election campaign that began