2020 saw the largest protests in the history of Belarus, and also an unprecedented crackdown, torture and criminal prosecution of protesters nationwide. ECNL supported its partners, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Center “Viasna” and Human Constanta to analyse the information collected throughout the year about the protests and also law enforcement agencies' actions.
The report looks at the number of protests, their location and thematic scope, fundamental differences compared to the events in 2019, as well as specifics of participation of different social groups (seniors, women, medical workers, journalists...etc.) The information has been gathered through in-person observation, reports from the mass media and social networks, but also from personal communications with individuals or as a result of contact with human rights activists and organizations.
The report provides an in-depth analysis of the change in protest actions and tactics, and the response from police from the beginning of the year throughout the election period and the escalation of the conflict until December.