This report prepared by Human Constanta examines the transformation of repressive practices in Belarus since 2020, with a focus on the systematic persecution of online activity. As offline protests were violently suppressed, the digital space became a central arena for state control, criminal prosecution, and intimidation.
The research demonstrates how social media comments, anti-war statements, donations, participation in online initiatives, chat administration, and even minimal forms of digital interaction are increasingly used as grounds for criminal and administrative cases. The report combines quantitative data, analysis of court practice, and detailed case studies, showing how Belarusian anti-extremism legislation has effectively turned into a universal tool of political repression.
Special attention is paid to the consequences of digital repression, including the emergence of a climate of “digital fear,” widespread self-censorship, fragmentation of civic communities, the displacement of activism into closed and less secure spaces, and the systematic erosion of freedom of expression and access to information.