The plight of Belarusian dissidents living in exile is marked by a persistent shadow of fear and threats. Since the brutal suppression of protests following the 2020 presidential elections, which were widely regarded as fraudulent, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have fled the oppressive regime of Alexander Lukashenko. Among these exiles are individuals who have courageously continued to speak out against the government, despite facing harassment and intimidation even while abroad.
One such example is Tatsiana Ashurkevich, a 26-year-old journalist who escaped Belarus but found herself under threat from back home. After discovering that the door to her apartment in Minsk had been sealed with construction foam, she instinctively suspected the authorities were behind it. As she confronted a man who had been messaging her about her work and the opposition, she quickly realized that threats were being made to silence her voice. This confrontation showcases a disturbing reality: that threats against dissidents extend beyond borders and create a chilling effect on their activism.
The fallout from Lukashenko’s regime has created a climate of fear, not only for dissidents but also for their families left behind in Belarus. With tens of thousands arrested in recent years for political reasons, as documented by the human rights group Viasna, the threat of persecution is omnipresent. Authorities often accuse opposition members of criminality and treason, asserting that dissidents collude with foreign powers to destabilize the nation. This rhetoric serves as a justification for continued surveillance and aggressions against those who dare to dissent, even if they are outside the country.
Many activists, like Anna Krasulina, a press secretary for prominent opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, encounter overt intimidation. Krasulina finds herself inundated with warning messages, creating anxiety that pushes her to put her phone in flight mode at night to escape the harassments. Her situation reflects a broader trend where individuals living in exile experience constant monitoring from their home country. The authorities’ tactics aim to instill fear not just personally but through familial ties, attempting to break connections between activists in exile and their supporters in Belarus.
A decree issued in 2022 has enabled the government to carry out absentees’ trials against dissidents who have fled, resulting in significant legal repercussions and a tactic of collective punishment. Since this decree’s implementation, hundreds of cases have been initiated, with reports of homes being raided and relatives harassed. The fear created has led to many activists abstaining from participating in protests abroad, worried that their families could face repercussions. The situation is compounded by reports of the authorities visiting the families of these dissidents, further exacerbating the individuals’ sense of helplessness.
The Belarusian government’s strategy to isolate dissidents is evident in the punitive measures enacted against their relatives. This systematic intimidation aims to sever connections between those in Belarus and their allies abroad. Journalist Hanna Liubakova describes this as a deliberate strategy of psychological warfare, aiming to paint dissidents as “terrorists” and instilling fear in ordinary citizens who might consider vocal support for the opposition.
Exiled dissidents recount harrowing stories, with some fearing for their relatives’ safety in Belarus due to their political beliefs or association with opposition figures. Instances like the case of Artem Lebedko illustrate the personal toll of these retaliatory measures. Once an anonymous individual, he is now imprisoned for alleged extremism, simply because of his father’s dissenting political views.
The international response to these aggressive tactics remains crucial. Authorities in Belarus continue to act with impunity while systems of support for exiled dissidents are being pressured. The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs was approached for comments regarding these issues but had yet to respond at the time of publication, illustrating the lack of accountability.
Thus, the situation for Belarusian dissidents abroad is not merely one of refuge but a complex battle characterized by ongoing threats and psychological warfare. Andrei Strizhak, associated with an activist organization, comments on the regime’s efforts as a “war of attrition.” Many activists feel exhausted, pressured to maintain resilience as they navigate the constant anxiety imposed by their homeland. Despite these challenges, there is a collective determination to continue the fight against oppression, seeking justice and freedom for Belarus.