Three reasons why the regime does not stop repression and keeps increasing the number of political prisoners

“Lukashenka always likes to insure himself against risks”
Andrei Kazakevich, director of the Political Sphere Institute and Doctor of Political Science, noted in a comment to UDF (https://udf.name/) that a combination of factors is leading to the continuation of repression.

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“First, inertia is at work: in 2020 and 2021 many criminal cases were opened, and accordingly they have to be brought to court.

Careers are being made in the security structures on this basis; there is obvious zeal in this respect.

Second, over the past year and a half, a huge number of actions have been criminalized that previously were not considered criminally punishable, or punishable at all.

Accordingly, a large number of people are falling under repression,” Kazakevich said.

He called the third reason the most important.
“The political crisis has still not been overcome.

At least a significant part of Belarusian society continues to have an extremely negative attitude toward the current authorities.

Resistance is still continuing in different forms: acts of sabotage, damage to property, and so on.

After 2020, the threats to Lukashenka’s power remain quite serious, and therefore it is logical that he continues repression.

After all, he is not prepared to respond by any means other than punishment.

In addition, Lukashenka always likes to insure himself against risks.

He has done this more than once in his political biography, both through referendums and through pressure on his opponents, even when it looked excessive,” Kazakevich believes.

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