The legal framework governing secret surveillance in Belarus is characterized by inadequate safeguards, and allows the authorities to undertake wide-ranging surveillance with little or no justification. While it is possible that almost anyone could be subject to surveillance, it is nearly impossible for anyone to know whether they are or have been. This uncertainty exerts a chilling effect on human rights defenders, opposition politicians, lawyers and activists, and limits their ability to exercise their human rights, including the rights to privacy, freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression...This problematic surveillance system is facilitated by corporate actors, such as mobile telephone or internet providers, who – according to Belarusian law – are required to allow the authorities direct access to their customers’ data...Amnesty...sought information from mobile providers Life, MTS (Belarus) and Velcom, as well as their parent companies Telekom Austria Group, América Móvil, Teliasonera and Turkcell. We also wrote to Beltelecom and to the social network VK. We received replies from Teliasonera and Telekom Austria Group, and met by phone with representatives from Telekom Austria Group. The responses we received are reflected in the report where relevant.