The State of Belarusian Academia in 2023

Spoiler: It's all bad.

We share excerpts below, and the full report can be read via the links in Belarusian and English.

In 2023, Belarusian authorities continued to violate human rights concerning Belarusian students and academia. Among the most restricted rights in Belarus, as before, were freedom of speech, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of conscience.

In 2023, the administrations of Belarusian universities introduced a cynical trend in the education of Belarusian students — on-site trials within university walls, in front of other students and their parents.

In 2023, Belarus changed its military service law. Studying abroad is no longer grounds for deferment. This has increased administrative and criminal liability for students who are already studying at European universities.

Over the past six years, there has been a decrease in the number of students in higher education: since 2015, the number of students has decreased by 108,000 people.