Click to expand Image A rally in support of the Belarusian independence movement in Warsaw, Poland, August 9, 2025. © 2025 Jaap Arriens/Sipa USA via AP Photo Last week, Belarusian authorities declared the Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers (BAHRL) an “extremist formation.” The action against the group, which works to protect the rights to a defense and a fair trial, is the latest attack on the country’s legal profession.Since its formation by exiled Belarusian lawyers arbitrarily deprived of their right to practice law, BAHRL has been promoting the independence of the legal profession, shedding light on repression against their colleagues in Belarus and showcasing violations of fair trial rights.After the State Security Committee (KGB) imposed the “extremist formation” label on BAHRL, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added the organization and six lawyers seen by the state as associated with it to the national list of organizations and individuals involved in “extremist activities.” Some of the six lawyers named, including Belarus-resident Dmitri Laevski, aren’t even members of BAHRL.Naming an organization an “extremist formation” carries the risk of criminal prosecution for its alleged members, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Since the mass protests against rigged presidential elections in 2020, Belarusian authorities have increased repression against political dissent across the country.As part of this campaign, the authorities have targeted lawyers who represent clients in politically motivated cases or denounce human rights abuses. Dozens of such lawyers have faced arbitrary revocation of their licenses, searches, administrative fines, and arrests. Seven lawyers are currently behind bars on fabricated charges.Over the past five years, the Ministry of Justice has subjugated the legal profession in Belarus, diluting the bar’s independence and seeking to turn the bar into an instrument promoting the government’s agenda.Belarusian authorities should stop their crackdown on the country’s lawyers and ensure they can carry out their duties without fear of government reprisal.