The Democratic Embassy of Belarus in Cyprus is a representative initiative of the Belarusian community, operating within the framework of civic diplomacy and representing the interests of Belarusians who have chosen Cyprus as their place of residence. We act as an independent platform for the protection of rights, coordination of assistance, and the development of cooperation between the Belarusian diaspora, Cypriot authorities, and international partners.
Our mission is to defend the rights and represent the interests of Belarusians in Cyprus, as well as to support families affected by political persecution. We cooperate with Cypriot authorities and diplomatic missions to draw attention to the challenges faced by the Belarusian diaspora and to promote its legalisation, protection, and integration on the island.
We are addressing an open letter to the Ombudsman of the Republic of Cyprus:
Dear Commissioner,
My name is Alesia Parkhomenka, and I represent the Democratic Embassy of Belarus in Cyprus — an initiative of the Belarusian democratic community that supports Belarusians forced to flee their country due to political repression and helps them integrate into Cypriot society.
I am writing to draw your attention to a legal gap that currently affects children of Belarusian citizens born in Cyprus. Due to the policies of the Belarusian authorities, these children are effectively unable to obtain Belarusian passports or any other national travel documents. This situation was not foreseen by existing Cypriot procedures and has left families without a clear legal pathway to secure their children’s status.
Since the adoption of Presidential Decree No. 278 in 2023, the Belarusian government has stopped issuing and renewing passports abroad. Belarusian embassies no longer accept applications for passports from citizens residing outside the country — including for children born abroad.
This situation is especially sensitive because the parents of these children cannot travel to Belarus to apply for passports, as there is a serious risk of their arrest on political grounds. Some of them have been designated as “extremists” by the Lukashenka regime solely for their political views or civic activity. Under Belarusian law, participation in so-called “extremist formations” carries between 5 and 15 years of imprisonment, which makes any return to Belarus impossible without a high risk of immediate incarceration. In such cases, their children could be taken away and placed in state orphanages, which poses an additional threat to their safety and well-being.
As a result, Belarusian families living in Cyprus face a number of challenges:
Their children cannot obtain a national passport from Belarus.
Without a passport, they cannot be issued residence permits or travel documents in Cyprus.
Families are left with no legal solution, even if the parents themselves hold valid Cypriot residence permits.
We fully understand that this issue stems from extraordinary circumstances created by the Belarusian government, and not from any fault or omission on the part of Cypriot authorities. However, in practice, this unanticipated legal gap leaves children without recognized identity documents and prevents them from accessing basic rights guaranteed under international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, both ratified by the Republic of Cyprus.
In light of the above, I kindly request your Office to examine this matter and, if possible, provide recommendations to the competent Cypriot authorities on how this gap might be addressed — for example, by granting travel documents or alternative forms of identification to affected children until they are able to obtain national documents.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to provide further information, documentation, and specific cases illustrating this issue.
Please also note that this problem affects not only children, but also many adults whose Belarusian passports have already expired. We have numerous such cases within our community, and they are facing the same legal uncertainty.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continuous efforts to protect human rights in Cyprus.
Embassy contacts:
Сyprus@belarusabroad.com
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