Humanitarian Visas, Legalization, and Transnational Repression: Pavel Latushka Held a Meeting at the Polish Foreign Ministry

The image is illustrative in nature

The issuance of Polish humanitarian visas for former political prisoners and their family members, repressed Belarusians, as well as the legalization of former political prisoners and their family members on the territory of Poland, became one of the main topics of discussion during a meeting between the deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet, head of the NAM, Pavel Latushka, and the director of the Consular Department of the Polish Foreign Ministry, Justyna Chrzanowska.

The NAM's lawyer and Coordination Council delegate, Mikhail Kirylyuk, also took part in the meeting.

During the meeting, the parties discussed:

• the issuance of Polish humanitarian visas for former political prisoners and their family members;

• the legalization of former political prisoners and their family members on the territory of Poland;

• inviting close family members of Belarusian citizens who hold a residence permit in Poland on humanitarian grounds;

• matters related to granting international protection to citizens of Belarus on the territory of Poland, taking into account new approaches to migration policy in Poland.

During the meeting, solutions were found, with the support of the Polish Foreign Ministry, for a number of complex individual situations related to providing humanitarian assistance to citizens of Belarus.

Photo: Archive

Separately, Pavel Latushka presented detailed information on the human rights situation in Belarus. Specifically for this meeting, the political prisoner support initiative "Dissidentby" prepared information reporting that in July 2026, 78 new criminal cases of a political nature were recorded. In a broader context, since the beginning of 2026, 694 new cases of politically motivated persecution have been recorded.

The meeting was also presented with information from the human rights center "Viasna", according to which, in July 2026, 38 people were recognized as political prisoners.

Pavel Latushka particularly drew attention to the fact that the human rights situation in Belarus has not changed.Political sentencing continues, and sentences in criminal cases opened in previous years are being finalized. At the same time, the so-called "list of extremist organizations" is significantly expanding. As an example, the most recent decisions by the regime's courts were cited on including Euronews and the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on the so-called list of "extremist materials," as well as recognizing the European Humanities University as an "extremist organization." Pavel Latushka noted that hundreds of Belarusian initiatives, registered both in Belarus and on the territory of Poland and other European countries, have been designated "extremist organizations."

Representatives of the Polish Foreign Ministry agreed that there was and is no basis to believe that the Lukashenko regime is reducing repression in Belarus.

Regarding travel to Belarus by persons holding dual citizenship — Belarusian and Polish — representatives of the Polish Foreign Ministry noted the importance of taking into account that "Polish citizens who also hold Belarusian citizenship are, under Belarusian law, regarded exclusively as citizens of Belarus. As a result, in a crisis situation, a Polish consul will not be able to provide consular assistance to a Polish citizen who also holds Belarusian citizenship. This also applies to minors."

Pavel Latushka thanked the leadership of the Consular Department of the Polish Foreign Ministry for the effective working meetings. He expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by Poland's foreign affairs agency in obtaining humanitarian visas for citizens of Belarus, as well as for help in resolving various complex individual situations. An agreement was reached that informational materials on the repression inside Belarus will continue to be shared with the Polish Foreign Ministry on an ongoing basis.

Separately, Pavel Latushka reported on the recent increase in transnational repression against citizens of Belarus living on the territory of Poland, linked to in-absentia sentences, attempts at recruitment, blackmail, and pressure exerted on activists through relatives and family members living on the territory of Belarus.

---