{"id":131258,"date":"2025-03-24T11:19:39","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T08:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/131258\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"belarus-sentences-thousands-to-forced-labor-camps-for-alcohol-abuse","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/131258\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus sentences thousands to forced labor camps for alcohol abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2024, Belarusian law enforcement agencies sent 10,900 individuals with alcohol use disorders to forced labor camps (LTPs), an increase of 1,300 compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (pxhere.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Narrative vs. reality<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

State media in Belarus paint a picture of prosperity, claiming that citizens are happy and that the social security system is superior to that of “unfriendly” countries. However, court data presents a different reality, showing a significant rise in the number of individuals sentenced to forced labor camps due to alcohol abuse, parental rights terminations and forced evictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024 alone, police detained 32,000 individuals for public intoxication\u2014an average of 87 people per day, or one detention every 15 minutes. The consequences of widespread alcohol abuse have been severe, contributing to a rise in crime, domestic violence and an increase in the number of orphaned children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parental convictions and child support issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The impact of alcohol abuse on families is stark. In 2024, 6,212 parents were convicted of child support evasion\u2014583 more than in 2023 and 806 more than in 2021. Additionally, courts issued 2,558 parental rights termination orders, an increase of 246 compared to 2023 and 292 compared to 2022. There were also 8,254 orders issued to enforce child support payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At-risk families and vague criteria<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The government made changes in 2024 to the criteria for classifying “at-risk” families\u2014those whose children may face neglect due to alcohol abuse or other reasons. Now, a family can be deemed at-risk if one parent is unemployed for three months or fined for disseminating what the government considers “extremist content.” Official statistics show that 22,000 children are currently living in such families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alena (a pseudonym for security reasons), a teacher with 30 years of experience, described the criteria as vague. Authorities now only need a conclusion that a child\u2019s basic needs are unmet. For instance, families may be labeled as at-risk for “unfavorable hygienic conditions,” even though there are no clear sanitation standards in Belarusian law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Families can be classified as at-risk simply for being outspoken about their rights or based on complaints, even if they come from neighbors or relatives,” Alena explained. In contrast, she noted, some families with alcohol abuse issues are overlooked if no complaints are filed. Children who arrive at school hungry and unkempt are more likely to be placed in orphanages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alena also pointed out that poor and vocal parents may be criticized for failing to meet the “basic needs” of their children, such as providing a separate desk, bed, enough clothing and a full fridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surge in forced labor sentences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sentences to forced labor camps for alcohol abusers surged nearly 14 percent in 2024, following a legal change that makes it easier to sentence someone to an LTP. Under the new procedure, a person can be sent to a labor camp after being caught heavily intoxicated twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of LTPs in Belarus has grown over the years, from six in 2014 to nine, with an additional facility set to open in Ivacevi\u010dy. Over the last two decades, the number of individuals sentenced to LTPs has increased significantly\u2014from 3,998 in 2006 to 9,541 in 2023. Currently, approximately 160,000 people with alcohol use disorders are registered with addiction therapists, and all of them face the risk of forced labor sentences if caught twice being heavily drunk or having drunken arguments with family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LTP quotas and police targets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with The Viewer, Alaksiej (a pseudonym for anonymity), a former addiction therapist in Belarus, explained that the rise in forced labor sentences is not only due to an increase in alcohol abuse but also due to police performance targets and changes in the legal framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Previously, it would take seven or eight detentions and registration with an addiction therapist before someone could be sent to an LTP. Now, two police reports are enough,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksiej observed that chronic alcoholics are more common in rural areas than in cities. “In a district center, police are catching young people coming from parties, writing reports for public drunkenness, and forcing them to register with an addiction therapist. But these young people aren\u2019t alcoholics\u2014this would have been unthinkable ten years ago.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also noted that small-town laborers who return from working in Russia and celebrate with excessive drinking are often targeted by the police. “It seems that the police are simply fulfilling their performance targets,” he suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U\u0142adzimir \u017dyhar, a former law enforcement officer, confirmed to The Viewer that district police officers have always had performance targets for the number of people to be sent to LTPs. However, he doubts the effectiveness of forced labor treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“These are just targets that must be met. In our country, the Soviet system still prevails, and Belarus is the only country that retained LTPs after the USSR collapsed,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2024, Belarusian law enforcement agencies sent 10,900 individuals with alcohol use disorders to forced labor camps (LTPs), an increase of 1,300 compared to the previous year. Narrative vs. reality State media in Belarus paint a picture of prosperity, claiming that citizens are happy and that the social security system is superior to that of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":102753,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-131258","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBelarus sentences thousands to forced labor camps for alcohol abuse | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In 2024, Belarusian law enforcement agencies sent 10,900 individuals with alcohol use disorders to forced labor camps (LTPs), an increase of 1,300\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/131258\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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