Amnesty International has raised alarms over the recent actions taken by Belarusian authorities against students and affiliates of the European Humanities University (EHU). These measures, according to Amnesty International, represent severe violations of basic freedoms, including the right to expression and peaceful assembly. The organization has criticized these activities as part of a broader, troubling trend of political repression in Belarus.
Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, highlighted the implications of labeling the EHU an “extremist organization.” This designation threatens to expand into a wider crackdown potentially leading to an “anti-extremism” trial targeting students and their families (JURIST).
The EHU, originally founded in Minsk in 1992, relocated to Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2005 after the Belarusian Ministry of Education rescinded its license. The recent judgment by Belarus’s Supreme Court on April 14, 2026, further complicated the situation by banning the university and its symbols within Belarus’s borders. The decision has resulted in over 110 students and graduates facing persecution, with repercussions extending to at least 175 individuals (Reuters).
Criticism of this legal characterization isn’t new. A 2023 United Nations report underscored how the misuse of anti-extremism and counter-terrorism laws has led to the stifling of political dissent and the suppression of civic freedom. The report detailed that the broad definitions applied under Belarusian law allow for legitimate human rights activities to be misconstrued as extremism, further targeting those previously harassed for their political stances (Human Rights Watch).
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a prominent figure in the Belarusian democratic movement, has been outspoken about these developments. Describing the charges as baseless, she emphasized that they undermine academic freedom, representing yet another attempt by the regime to curb expression and dissent (The Guardian).
As the situation unfolds, international bodies and human rights organizations continue to urge the Belarusian government to cease its aggressive actions against EHU affiliates. Additionally, there is growing pressure on Lithuanian authorities to investigate any human rights violations related to EHU students caught in this legal and political maelstrom (Amnesty International).