Belarus, officially called the Republic of Belarus, is bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Its national languages are Russian and Belarusian.

Currently, the country is headed by President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko is often criticised for his close ties to and dependency on Russia. In 2020 and 2021, the country was shaken by fierce protests against the election outcomes which said that Lukashenko was the winners. The opposition, led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, asserted that there had been fraud with the ballots. The demonstrations, however, were crushed with violence, which in turn led to international criticism. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania where she established a government in exile.

Belarus is largely dependent on Russia, which is its largest economic and political partner. It is criticised for its hostile attitude towards Ukraine.

Furthermore, there are worries about the level of religious freedom in Belarus. In recent years, the government has closed several churches. Among the examples are the Red Church in Minsk, and the Evangelical New Life Church. Often, the government refers to national security as the reason why a church is liquidated. In addition, the government has tightened the laws for religious organisations. It has become more difficult to get a licence, for instance.