Belarusian authorities have designated the Lithuania-based European Humanities University an “extremist organization,” the country’s Supreme Court ruled on April 14, 2025.
The ruling claims the university is “destabilizing the sociopolitical situation in the country,” exposing thousands of current and former students and professors—most of whom are Belarusian—to criminal prosecution in absentia or in Belarus for teaching, attending classes, or any prior interaction with the institution.
Since the beginning of 2026, Belarusian authorities have declared an additional 23 organizations “extremist formations,” including a chat group for political prisoners’ family members, political opposition groups, and independent media outlets.
On February 27, the Belarusian State Security Committee designated PEN Belarus and two of its alleged members as “an extremist formation,” adding the organization’s social media pages to the official list of “extremist materials.” PEN Belarus, one of the country’s oldest human rights groups, defends freedom of speech and promotes cultural rights.
On March 11, the State Security Committee issued a similar decision regarding Human Constanta, a rights group focused on protecting foreigners and stateless people even as advancing digital freedoms. The designation extended to four individuals allegedly affiliated with the organization, including Nasta Lojka, who was released and deported to Lithuania without documents a day later as part of a political prisoner release negotiated by the United States government.
On March 31, the State Security Committee added the Belarusian Helsinki Committee to its list of “extremist formations,” banning the group’s websites, social media channels, and email addresses.
Twelve Belarusian and international human rights organizations have condemned the use of “extremism” laws against human rights groups, stating the legislation is purposefully broad and vague.
Belarusian authorities have long used “extremism” charges to target critics, including those in exile, with more than 1,000 political prisoners prosecuted on such charges over the past five years.
The recent designations follow a series of prisoner releases negotiated by the United States, which included the deportation of Nasta Lojka to Lithuania.
The United States and the European Union have not issued public statements in response to the latest extremism designations as of April 15, 2025.
