Politics, protests and minorities: insights from Belarus

Belarus is a country still largely unknown to much of the world. But beyond its authoritarian regime and alliance with Russia, what lies beneath the surface? Did you know that 2020 marked a pivotal moment for Belarus? While the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, Belarus was engulfed in mass protests against fraudulent election results. These protests were met with severe police brutality and widespread violence to uphold the dictatorship. The brief period of liberalization was then swiftly crushed by the authoritarian regime, undoing any progress made by businesses, NGOs and civil society before 2020. The following persecutions and imprisonments led to a significant exodus. In her presentation, Dr. Vasilevich will provide insights on Belarus and its politics, exploring the consequences of these mass protests and the impact of the repressive regime on civil society and the fate of national minorities in particular.