Anais Marin: Belarus' ruthless authoritarianism - a podcast by Justin Ahn

Anais Marin is the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. She says, "The atmosphere I would describe now as one of fear and impunity for abuses against internationally recognized human rights."

Anais describes how peaceful protests against President Alexander Lukashenko's rigged election victory were repressed through torture and arbitrary arrests. She breaks down Belarus' illiberal institutions, dynamics of civil society and mobilization, and the international response.

According to Anais, this situation is an important case study for how an authoritarian government seeking to retain power can suppress democratic freedoms. Additionally, since recording this interview, Belarus has cooperated with Russia to invade Ukraine. 

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