Belarus citizenship revocation threat looms for citizens abroad

For months, voices in Belarusian state propaganda have warned that Belarusians living abroad who are judged disloyal could lose their citizenship, and the campaign escalated in late September and early October 2026 with the release of a short film titled "Expulsion from Paradise". The legal groundwork is already in place: amendments to the Law on Citizenship that took effect on 11 July 2023 allow termination of citizenship for certain adults abroad. No application of the rule against opponents of the authorities has been made public so far.

Key facts

• Amendments to the Law on Citizenship have been in force since 11 July 2023.
• They cover adult Belarusians residing abroad with a final conviction for certain crimes labelled "extremism" or harming the interests of the state.
• The provision can even affect people who acquired citizenship by birth.
• Article 10 of the Constitution states that no one may be deprived of Belarusian citizenship or of the right to change citizenship.
• Since September 2023, a decree by Alyaksandr Lukashenka has barred embassies and consulates from extending or issuing passports to citizens living abroad.

What is being proposed?

The campaign is led by figures such as Ryhor Azaronak and reached a new level with the film made by propagandist Kseniya Lebedeva, in which Belarus is described as a paradise whose rules, if broken deliberately, risk "expulsion from paradise forever". The material presents itself as reflecting a debate in Belarusian society, with some participants arguing citizenship should be revoked and others opposing it. As of now, it is not known whether the authorities have decided to act against well-known opposition figures or to launch a mass campaign.

Is it legal?

Supporters of the idea face Article 10 of the Constitution, which rules out deprivation of citizenship. Ryhor Vasilevich, a former chairman of the Constitutional Court and one of the authors of the current constitution, argues in the film that all constitutional articles must be read together, linking Article 10 to Article 23, which permits restriction of rights and freedoms in the interests of national security and public order.

The 2023 amendments are worded to allow the termination of citizenship, not its deprivation. Lawyer and political figure Ales Mikhalevich says that under international conventions signed by Belarus, taking citizenship from someone who held it at birth is not legally possible unless there is evidence of a second citizenship, since dual citizenship is banned.

How could it affect Belarusians abroad?

According to Mikhalevich, information that a passport has been cancelled would go immediately into the Interpol database and could create problems at border control, especially for those outside the European Union. He adds that people who already have international protection, refugee status or a residence permit — such as journalists and political or cultural figures in emigration — would be less affected.

Many Belarusians abroad already hold expired passports that cannot be renewed, because the September 2023 decree stripped embassies and consulates of the right to extend or issue documents. Where no other citizenship exists, a United Nations Convention is described as giving such people at least some legal status.

Who might be targeted?

No timetable or list of targets has been announced. One possible scenario described is selective action against prominent political figures as an example, or no action at all if the authorities prefer not to worsen relations with the West. United Transitional Cabinet lawyer Mikhail Kiryliuk sees the threat mainly as a symbolic warning to people still living in Belarus.

What this means for travellers

Belarusian citizens living abroad should be aware that passports cannot currently be renewed or replaced through embassies and consulates. Anyone concerned about their status can check whether a final conviction covered by the 2023 amendments applies to them and whether they hold another citizenship or international protection.

No start date for any revocation campaign has been announced, and no publicly known case has yet been carried out against opponents of the authorities.