No space for civil society in Belarus – report

June 2, Pozirk. Belarus is classified as a country where no space exists for civil society, according to the latest Atlas of Civil Society report by the German non-governmental organization Brot für die Welt.
It said that about 30 percent of the world’s population lives in “closed” countries where the space for civil society is completely limited legally and practically and an atmosphere of fear reigns. In these countries, any criticism of the regime is strictly punished, freedom of the press is nonexistent and the Internet is heavily censored, with most websites blocked.
Besides Belarus, 28 other states are classified as such, including China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
According to the report, only 3.5 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where the full freedom of speech and assembly is guaranteed. In contrast, 85 percent of the world’s population, or nearly 7 billion people, live in countries where civil society is restricted, suppressed or closed.
Brot für die Welt, a Protestant church-affiliated NGO, focuses on fighting hunger and advocates for world justice, peace and education.
According to the Lawtrend human rights group, Belarus dissolved at least 1,936 NGOs between the presidential election of 2020 and May 2025.
At least 1,936 NGOs shut down since 2020 election
- PoliticsReligious affairs commissioner becomes directly accountable to ŁukašenkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Security, SocietyPeople’s volunteer corps candidates and commanders train at riot police base in MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, SocietyBelarus to try another deceased man on genocide chargesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, Politics, SocietyUzbekistan’s ambassador to Belarus fired for “indifference to investment and trade”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyTwo Lithuanians arrested over alleged involvement in smuggling cigarettes from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityRussia joins ICJ proceedings after Lithuania sues Belarus over irregular migrationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SportInternational Chess Federation clears Belarusian players to competeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolitically motivated arrests, conviction, “extremist” designations reported in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityArmed Forces get new new chief of logisticsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsExperts: Lukašenka’s departure likely to begin as managed handoverThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyAll poor workers should be sent to guard border with Ukraine, Łukašenka saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyUzbeks invited to Belarus to produce meat and milk for Uzbekistan, Łukašenka saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusian foreign minister visiting KyrgyzstanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsGeorgian authorities not to take action against undocumented Belarusian rights defenderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyLithuanian border guards arrest two men carrying nearly 6,000 Belarusian-smuggled cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyExports of Belarusian petroleum products to Georgia soaringThe material is available only to POZIRK+



