Lukashenko Regime Revoked Passports Of At Least 16 Ex-political Prisoners

It's about prisoners of conscience deported abroad.

The authorities have canceled passports of at least 16 former Belarusian political prisoners, deported from the country. This was reported on Tuesday, March 31, "Radio Svaboda". One of the ex-political prisoners Andrei (name changed. - Ed.) reported that his Belarusian passport suddenly ceased to be valid, although it remained valid for several months after his release and expulsion from Belarus on September 11, 2025. The document officially expired in 2031.

Another former political prisoner, Ilya Dubski, in turn, said that on March 30, he also checked his passport in the database of the Interior Ministry of Belarus and found out that it had been canceled. Dubski, according to him, is banned to enter Belarus. In the fall of 2025, the passport was still valid, expiring in 2027. Ilya Dubski and Andrei currently live in Lithuania.

Dubski says he knows a total of 16 former political prisoners, whose passports have ceased to be valid.

Later it became known that the passport of former political prisoner Vladimir Labkovich, which was valid until 2027, was also recognized invalid. The ex-prisoner told the human rights center "Viasna".

The fact that his passport was canceled was also reported by former political prisoner, blogger Dmitry Kozlov ("Gray Cat").

Lawyer of "Viasna" Svetlana Golovneva explained that according to the law there are several reasons to cancel a document: lack of mandatory data, expiry, loss of validity, change of name and others.

"Most likely, the passports of deported political prisoners were recognized as invalid on the grounds of "unsuitability for use." This wording is usually applied when a passport is wet, torn or has had personal data erased. This is probably a move to retroactively invalidate passports during deportations. Passports are strictly accountable forms, they are kept in personnel files in the colonies, and something needs to be done about them. But even such a bureaucratic action becomes a continuation of persecution, another step to create conditions when it is impossible to return to the country normally. This can be considered as an administrative mechanism for the Belarusian authorities to fix the arbitrary deportation of their citizens," explained the lawyer.

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