HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #59

Belarus | Lukashenko Sweeps Openly Rigged Election Amid Financial Repression

In Belarus, authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko secured a seventh term in an openly rigged presidential election. Lukashenko’s crusade against dissent and political opposition has left many citizens and opposition figures exiled, imprisoned, and financially repressed. Historically, his regime has frozen bank accounts, blocked foreign currency exchanges, and cut off independent media from funding. By wielding financial and political power, Lukashenko ensures that no real opposition can rise, turning Belarus into a country where even the illusion of democracy has disappeared. In these environments, Bitcoin and tools like Lnp2pbot (an HRF grantee) help Belarusians circumvent financial restrictions and transact in a currency that Lukashenko can’t control.

If you’re a nonprofit organization operating in Belarus, we encourage you to sign up for the HRF’s Financial Freedom webinar here. 

Nigeria | Joins BRICS Economic Coalition

Nigeria is expanding its financial repression both internationally and domestically. It recently joined BRICS, an intergovernmental economic organization led by the Chinese and Russian regimes. For some, this raises concerns as Nigeria may deepen its authoritarian ways and further restrict individual financial freedoms. Member countries are each leaders in the development and implementation of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), threatening individual financial autonomy as financial control is increasingly placed under the purview of authoritarian states. In parallel, the Nigerian regime plans to distribute a 75,000 naira ($48) “cash transfer” to the nation’s poorest citizens. This bid to alleviate poverty risks, while stoking inflation and compromising privacy, as the initiative relies on digital registration through the National Identity Number (NIN) system. Nigeria’s strategy of using both micro and macro financial controls limits open markets and curtails individual freedoms.

Pakistan | Regime Passes Repressive Bill Targeting Online Spaces

Pakistan’s military-backed regime passed a repressive social media bill that allows officials to imprison citizens for spreading “disinformation” online. Under this new law, officials can block “unlawful and offensive” content and remove users from social media at a time when Pakistanis are increasingly turning to online spaces to express discontent over regime-imposed economic hardships. Those “spreading disinformation” risk facing three years in prison and fines of up to 2 million rupees ($7,150) — a harsh penalty for citizens grappling with the highest cost of living on the continent. Further, social platforms must register with the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority to operate or risk a permanent ban. Censorship and Internet controls are sadly nothing new for Pakistanis since the regime has blocked X during elections and enacted a nationwide Internet firewall to suppress public discourse and action.

Cuba | Salary of Baseball Player Buys a Carton of Eggs

Cuba’s cost-of-living crisis is so severe that even the country’s top and most profitable athletes cannot make ends meet. Exemplifying this, the monthly salary of a professional baseball player in the National Series — Cuba’s premier sporting event — barely covers the cost of a carton of eggs, forcing them to seek opportunities elsewhere. With the Cuban peso in freefall, several players have resigned, citing financial hardships as the reason for leaving the sport they love. Their departures reflect a broader reality: wages across Cuba fail to keep pace with severe inflation caused by the Cuban regime’s continuous economic mismanagement. The state continues to enforce wages in the collapsing peso while requiring “MLC” credits to purchase high-quality food and goods in a system that pulls in foreign exchange from abroad while stealing from citizens at home.

South Sudan | Regime Blocks Citizen Access to Social Media

In South Sudan, rebel leader Salva Kiir Mayardit directed the National Communication Authority (NCA) to block each citizen’s access to social media nationwide for up to three months, citing concerns over “public safety” and “mental health.” This decision follows violent videos of Sudanese armed forces attacking South Sudanese refugees in Sudan. Sudanese rights groups condemned the ban as a blatant act of censorship and an abuse of power. “The death of our South Sudanese in Sudan should not culminate in blocking social media, which is one of the ways many of us get information,” said one Sudanese citizen. By restricting social media, the regime demonstrates a clear willingness to silence dissent, suppress information, and stifle transparency under the guise of “protection.” As Sudanese grapple with rising prices, the ban further isolates them, leaving little room to coordinate relief efforts, share grievances, or hold those in power accountable.