Belarus: Crackdown on an Independent University

🤖 AI Summary: **What happened?** On June 2, 2026, Belarusian law enforcement searched the homes of family members of current and former students of the exiled European Humanities University, interrogated those family members, and have carried out a broader countrywide campaign of harassment, interrogation, and detention targeting the university’s community as part of a criminal investigation into alleged financing of extremist activities tied to supporting the institution. **Why it matters?** The actions violate the targeted individuals’ rights to freedom of thought, expression, association, and education, constitute a state attack on academic freedom and independent civil society in Belarus, and have prompted calls for governments engaging with Minsk to demand an end to the crackdown and compliance with international human rights commitments.