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With US support gone, Belarusian democratic organizations struggle to survive

US funds have suddenly vanished for exiled Belarusian civil society groups, throwing them into a fight for survival. Youth initiatives, media outlets and human rights defenders are cutting down on their staff and programmes, creating dangerous gaps that state propaganda is now rushing to fill. Belarusian activists show stubborn determination in the face of this financial earthquake, but without new support, the democratic resistance to Lukashenka’s regime stands on increasingly shaky ground.

Belarusian civil society has always shown remarkable resilience under pressure. After the contested 2020 presidential elections and the wave of protests that followed, Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime ramped up its crackdown on dissent. Independent media, human rights groups, cultural initiatives, and educational organizations faced brutal repression, with activists imprisoned, groups shut down, and many forced to flee. Today, most Belarusian civil society organizations and independent media groups operate from exile, primarily in Lithuania and Poland.

May 5, 2025 - Hleb Liapeika - AnalysisIssue 3 2025Magazine

Belarusians hold banners and shout slogans as they wait for Belarus's exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on June 03, 2021 in Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Omar Marques

Unable to generate sufficient local funding and risking the dreaded “extremist” label that scares away business support, these exiled groups have come to depend heavily on external funding. While individual donations help, they rarely cover large-scale campaigns and ongoing operational costs. International grants emerged as a lifeline support, keeping these organizations afloat. Among the supporters, the United States played the most crucial role, making its recent withdrawal of funds a devastating blow.

A difficult situation

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