content” and dozens of people were arrested every month for subscribing to “extremist” Telegram messenger channels. In January, Darya Losik was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for “assisting extremist activity” because of an interview about her husband, prisoner of conscience Ihar Losik, on the Belsat television channel in 2022. She was accused of describing her husband as “a political prisoner” and protesting his innocence. Belarusian courts continued to sentence individuals for “insulting” officials, “discrediting” state institutions and symbols, or “inciting animosity and enmity”. In May, leading cultural figure Pavel Belavus was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment and a fine of BYN 18,500 (USD 5,500) on four criminal charges, including treason and “leading an extremist formation”. Among other things, he was accused of “spreading ideas of Belarusian nationalism aimed at changing the state power”. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION The crackdown on independent civil society organizations, NGOs, professional organizations and ethnic and religious communities intensified. All 12 parties opposed to the government were refused reregistration and dissolved in an attempt to clear the field for elections in 2024. Arbitrary charges of “extremism” were used to close civil society organizations, such as the human rights centre Viasna which in August was deemed an “extremist formation”. Individuals were arrested for “financing extremist activities or organizations”. Kiryl Klimau was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for sending six donations of USD 10 to charities supporting the victims of political repression. FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF From October, as part of a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent, all religious organizations were required to undergo reregistration or face closure. The State of the World’s Human Rights Repression continued against Catholic priests. Starting on 31 May, Uladzislau Beladzed was arrested three consecutive times, each for 15 days, for ��spreading extremist materials”. During a search of the Catholic cathedral in the capital Minsk, where he was serving, security forces reportedly beat several priests. Authorities continued to persecute the New Life protestant church. In June, their church building was demolished. In August, two online publications from 2020 condemning violence against peaceful protesters were labelled “extremist” and two pastors were arrested. In October, the church was “liquidated” by a court decision because of “extremist activities”. FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY The right to freedom of peaceful assembly remained severely restricted. Three years after the 2020 protests, the authorities continued to track down for unfounded prosecution and imprisonment both peaceful participants and those who supported them, including with donations. UNFAIR TRIALS The authorities continued to abuse the justice system to crack down on all dissent, including political opponents, human rights defenders and lawyers. In March, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, Maria Maroz, Volha Kavalkova and Siarhei Dyleuski were sentenced in their absence under trumped-up charges to between 12 and 18 years’ imprisonment. The practice of closed hearings remained widespread. The persecution of lawyers defending victims of politically motivated prosecution continued, with a human rights group reporting that at least 10 lawyers were imprisoned and more than 100 disbarred or refused extension of their licence in retaliation for performing their professional duties. TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT Torture and other ill-treatment remained widespread and endemic with perpetrators 95