Grass-roots network MostMedia reported on the morning of 24 September 2026 that Belarusian expatriates will gather outside the Office for Foreigners in Warsaw this Saturday to protest what they call a “wave of arbitrary refusals” of international protection. Organisers say the rejection rate for Belarusian applicants has jumped above 55 % this year, compared with 24 % in 2024. Polish authorities argue conditions in Belarus have “substantially normalised,” citing the partial amnesty for political detainees after the 2025 constitutional referendum. Human-rights groups counter that returning opposition activists still face reprisals. The Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights points to at least 30 cases where deportation orders were issued despite pending appeals before Polish courts. Business-mobility specialists note a secondary impact: some Belarusian IT contractors previously working in Poland under humanitarian visas are now seeing those visas lapse without renewal, forcing companies to scramble for work-permit sponsorships. The protest’s organisers are therefore also inviting Polish employers who rely on Belarusian specialists to join the rally. The Office for Foreigners told media it will station additional staff on site for the demonstration but insists that each asylum claim is assessed individually. Still, the optics could pressure the new coalition government—elected in July on a pro-business platform—into clarifying protection guidelines for citizens of “partially safe” countries. Multinationals with Belarusian staff in Poland should audit their employees’ status and be ready to switch them to standard residence-and-work permits if humanitarian pathways close further. Legal advisers recommend starting the process at least 90 days before existing documents expire, given current appointment backlogs.
Source: MostMedia
