Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L), The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), and the Law Society of England and Wales (LSEW) are seriously concerned about the increasing pressure on the legal profession by Belarusian authorities, most recently marked by the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus’ (KGB) designation of the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers (BAHRL) as an “extremist formation”. Under Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, the establishment of – or participation in – an extremist formation incurs penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment.
On 18 August 2025, the KGB adopted Decision No. 3/3-1962, designating the BAHRL as an “extremist formation”. The decision entered into force on 21 August 2025 and became publicly known the following day, when the BAHRL was added to the official list of institutions and individuals allegedly involved in “extremist activities,” maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Along with the Association itself, included in the same official list are six individuals whom the KGB linked to the activities of the BAHRL. Amongst those is lawyer Dmitri Laevski, who, based on the knowledge and experience of our organizations, has never been a member of BAHRL nor participated in its activities. Unlike the other lawyers listed, who currently reside in EU countries, Mr. Laevski is still in Belarus.
BAHRL is a non-governmental organization established by exiled Belarusian lawyers who were arbitrarily deprived of their right to practice law. The association works to protect the rights to a defense and a fair trial, promote the independence of the legal profession, and shed light on repression against their colleagues in Belarus.
It is believed that the association is targeted for their legitimate human rights activities. Designating BAHRL as an “extremist formation” has a chilling effect on the legal profession and associated fundamental freedoms (i.e., the right to freedom of expression, association and right to a fair trial), as it could be perceived as an arbitrary use of anti-extremism laws against lawyers and their activities. This creates a clear risk of politically motivated criminal proceedings targeting lawyers on the list and that would undermine fundamental freedoms.
This development is the latest manifestation of the broader pattern of repression against lawyers in and from Belarus.
Belarus: Concerns about the designation of lawyers association as an “extremist formation”
