Ideologization, Militarization, and Repression: BSA Publishes Annual Report on the State of Belarusian Academia

The Belarusian Students’ Association (BSA) has released its Annual Report on the State of Belarusian Academia in 2024. This document plays a crucial role in the organization’s monitoring and advocacy efforts.

The Annual Report on the State of Belarusian Academia, published by the Belarusian Students’ Association, is arguably the only document that consolidates all publicly available cases of human rights violations affecting students and faculty. Thanks to the work of activists from the Belarusian Students’ Association, Belarusian national youth council RADA can also engage in advocacy and provide recommendations to international organizations on addressing the challenges faced by Belarusian students both inside the country and abroad.

Lizavieta Dauhulievich (representative of the BSA, Chairwoman of the BNYC «RADA»)

What key insights does the Belarusian Students’ Association report offer? Maksim Zafranski (representative of the BSA, Youth Rights Advisor of the BNYC «RADA») highlights the most critical points:

• Repression targeting students, faculty, and university staff, as well as organizations connected to education.
• Ideologization and militarization of Belarusian academia: students are subjected to intimidation over alleged “extremist” activities, including through public trials held within universities.
• Academia during the 2024 and 2025 ‘elections’: students were forcibly mobilized for propaganda events, some were coerced into signing petitions supporting Lukashenka’s presidential candidacy, and others were pressured into voting.
• The situation of Belarusian students abroad: the Belarusian Students’ Association highlights the impossibility of obtaining a Belarusian passport from abroad and underscores the bureaucratic obstacles Belarusian students face in Poland.