Belarusian Political Dissidents

Almost without the world noticing, Belarus – the former Soviet republic that borders Ukraine, Poland and Russia – has become a totalitarian state. Led for 30 years by Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, it has imprisoned leaders of now banned opposition parties, human rights campaigners, journalists, and citizens whose only offense is wearing colors associated with the opposition groups or having attended political rallies a half decade ago. Lukashenko has meanwhile become a political and military ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs is honored to welcome to its Distinguished Speakers Series leaders of Belarusian civil society working to support political prisoners and their families. Our program, in partnership with the World Trade Institute, features key figures in the Viasna Human Rights Center and a former political prisoner. These women and men, working in exile to avoid imprisonment, promise to provide insight into the country’s – and Europe’s – possible future.