Bialiatski in a text for New York Times: The world should not write off Belarus as a country that has definitively fallen into Russia's sphere of influence

Ales Bialiatski. Photo: "Nasha Niva"

I woke up on December 13 in the notorious Belarusian correctional colony No. 9, as I had every day for four and a half years as a political prisoner. But that Saturday was different. I was suddenly ordered to pack my things, blindfolded, and taken away. I had no idea where I was being taken or why.

But when we crossed the border into Lithuania, I understood that I would be free. That day, I was one of 123 prisoners released in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions on key Belarusian exports. I am grateful to President Trump for this happening, but the matter is not yet concluded.

My story is part of a larger struggle for the freedom of the Belarusian people. I was detained in July 2021 during a harsh crackdown on political opponents, launched by order of the country's leader, Alexander Lukashenka, in response to the peaceful protests of 2020. As the head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna," I was accused of "smuggling" money and financing group actions that "grossly violate public order."

On March 3, 2023, after a show trial widely condemned as politically motivated, I was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. A year later, the United Nations declared my detention arbitrary and in violation of international law, demanding my immediate and unconditional release. Nevertheless, I remained in custody under horrific conditions: I was placed in a punitive isolation cell, deprived of access to necessary medication and regular contact with my family.

The human rights situation in Belarus had deteriorated long before my detention, including through the harsh suppression of political participation and freedom of expression in the run-up to the August 2020 presidential elections. Following Lukashenka's so-called victory in this vote, which European officials deemed neither free nor fair, the Belarusian people mobilized to demand respect for their democratic freedoms.

The electorate in 2020 was younger and more interested in human rights than when Lukashenka came to power more than 30 years ago. As became clear from the widespread support for his opponent, Belarusians were ready for change. Instead, Lukashenka unleashed terror on his own people to cling to power: his associates carried out violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters, arbitrarily imprisoning thousands and subjecting hundreds, or even more, to torture.

Throughout my imprisonment, the human rights situation continued to worsen. Indeed, in 2023, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk found evidence of systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations and reported that some of them could amount to crimes against humanity. As of last month, there were still 1,100 political prisoners in Belarus, though the real number is likely much higher, and freedom of speech and the press have been virtually eliminated.

Anyone who criticizes Lukashenka's regime — human rights defender or not — risks becoming a victim of repression. The people who were imprisoned with me came from various walks of life — students, factory workers, soldiers. They were simply people who dared to demand democracy.

What Lukashenka truly fears is what will happen when the Belarusian people gain freedom. He clearly wants to remain in power to enrich himself and his family. He wants to preserve and strengthen a regime that continues to serve the elites who fulfill his wishes. A large part of the Belarusian population unequivocally rejects his dictatorship. Many of them will accept nothing less than his immediate departure and the opportunity to build a democratic society.

The international community plays a crucial role in supporting the Belarusian people. In addition to economic pressure on the regime, including sanctions against individuals and economic sectors, the most important steps could be supporting democratic organizations both within and outside Belarus.

For example, many democratic activists work in exile. Democratic countries need to protect activists abroad who may be targeted by Belarusian authorities, provide financial support to their organizations, and foster the creation of a civil environment in Belarus necessary for promoting democracy and human rights.

Moreover, despite the danger, many courageous people within Belarus continue to work for freedom, and they must not be forgotten. We must find new ways to build solidarity across borders, given the scale of the challenges faced by the Belarusian people.

As the world considers how to improve the situation in Belarus, it is important to make two distinctions.

First, we must distinguish between Belarus and Russia. It is wrong to assume that Belarus is always on Russia's side. Despite Lukashenka's alliance with President Vladimir Putin, some polls show that the majority of Belarusians oppose sending troops to participate in Russia's war against Ukraine. The world should not write off Belarus as a country that has definitively fallen into Russia's sphere of influence.

Second, we must always and in all spheres distinguish between the Belarusian people and the Belarusian regime. The population of Belarus is held hostage by Lukashenka. The persistent defiance of the Belarusian people in the face of brutal repression indicates that Lukashenka's time is running out. This is why we need to accelerate our efforts to bring democracy and human rights to our country.

Throughout my time in prison, I never lost faith in the Belarusian people. The world must not lose it either.

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