In Belarus, a significant number of teachers have been detained or questioned by authorities as part of the government’s crackdown on dissent, according to a local human rights organization. Pavel Sapelka, a spokesperson for the Viasna rights group, revealed that actions against teachers started in September. Those targeted had participated in an online teacher-training program called Adukavanka, which the Belarusian security agency, the KGB, labeled as extremist in August. This project aimed to provide guidance on incorporating technological innovations into education and shared proposed lesson plans, attracting hundreds of teachers. The exact number of educators detained or interrogated was not specified by Sapelka.

Adukavanka, in a message on the Telegram platform, recommended that all Belarusian subscribers cancel their memberships, stating, “Strong education is done with brains, not with truncheons.” Belarus, under President Alexander Lukashenko’s leadership for thirty years, has long suppressed dissent and independent media. However, the government’s efforts to suppress opposition escalated notably in 2020 when widespread protests erupted following a disputed presidential election that resulted in Lukashenko securing a sixth term. The crackdown led to over 65,000 arrests, with many individuals reportedly subjected to police brutality. As a result, most prominent opposition figures are either imprisoned or have fled the country.