Over 6,000 Belarusian Teachers Lose Jobs Amid Repression, Torture Allegations

Adviser to Tsikhanouskaya Details Repression

On October 6, 2025, Pavel Tserashkovich, adviser on science and education to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, announced that more than 6,000 Belarusian teachers have lost their jobs as a result of state repression. Tserashkovich, a historian and anthropologist, made the statement on Teacher's Day, which was observed in Belarus on October 5. He further alleged that over 50 educators have endured 'hellish torture' in prisons, with some remaining incarcerated.

Systematic Purges in the Education Sector

The reported dismissals are part of a broader, ongoing crackdown on dissent in Belarus that intensified following the disputed 2020 presidential election. Authorities have systematically targeted state employees, including teachers, who expressed political dissent or participated in protests. Human rights organizations have documented widespread political purges within the education system, leading to significant staff shortages and academics fleeing the country.

Reports indicate that dozens of teachers have been detained or interrogated for alleged links to 'extremist' groups, such as the online teacher-education project Adukavanka, which was declared extremist by the KGB, Belarus's main security agency. The total number of school teachers in Belarus saw a decline of 6,265 persons (5.62%) between 2021 and 2022, a figure closely aligning with the recent claims. This repression has also led to a decline in student enrollment and the closure of many private schools.

Allegations of Torture and Inhumane Detention

Tserashkovich's claims of torture against educators align with numerous reports from human rights organizations detailing systematic ill-treatment and torture of political prisoners in Belarus. Since 2020, thousands of individuals arrested in the crackdown have reported severe abuses, including beatings, prolonged stress positions, electric shocks, and inhumane detention conditions.

Organizations like Human Rights Watch and the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus have documented arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and persecution of political opponents, concluding that some violations may amount to 'crimes against humanity'. Detainees are often subjected to forced 'repentance videos' and denied access to legal counsel, family visits, and medical care.

Impact on Belarusian Society and International Response

The ongoing repression has had a profound impact on Belarusian society, particularly the education system, which Tsikhanouskaya has described as being used to indoctrinate children and prepare them for 'war' rather than critical thinking. The international community has consistently condemned the human rights situation in Belarus, with various bodies reporting on the widespread and systematic nature of the violations.

The statement by Tsikhanouskaya's adviser underscores the continued deterioration of human rights in Belarus, particularly within critical sectors like education, and highlights the severe personal cost borne by those who oppose the current regime. The opposition in exile continues to advocate for democratic reforms and accountability for human rights abuses.