Natallia Pinchuk in European Parliament: “Belarusian people did not submit. The events of 2020 are not forgotten.”
On June 28, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights discussed the situation with human rights and political prisoners in Belarus. Natallia Pinchuk, the wife of the imprisoned founder and chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, was invited to discuss Belarusian issues.
Around 20 MEPs attended the hearing, who were interested in how to help Belarusian political prisoners and their families and put forth suggestions on how to hold Belarusian authorities accountable for torture and other human rights abuses. Proposals were voiced on how to make the institution of guardianship for Belarusian political prisoners from among MEPs more effective, reports RFE/RL.
Natallia Pinchuk, in particular, stated:
"If the situation with human rights in Belarus had been different, if Lukashenka hadn't been able to destroy them step by step since 1995—with the silent contemplation of the democratic world—perhaps there wouldn't be today's tragedy of the Ukrainian people.
A free and independent European Belarus would simply have made such scenarios impossible. It's a mistake to think that one has to negotiate with the regime and ‘not corner him’ because otherwise, he would supposedly hand Belarus over to Russia. Nothing stopped him from taking a demonstrative humanitarian step (for example, releasing chronically ill, elderly, and large families). But no, instead, he only takes new hostages to sow fear. After all, the Belarusian people did not submit. The events of 2020 are not forgotten.”
Natallia Pinchuk expressed hope that European Union countries, world leaders in defending democratic values, would compel international organizations, including the Red Cross, to fulfill their mission.
Pinchuk stated that Lukashenka's dictatorship continues to deprive Belarusians of their right to identity.
“Between 2020–23, all independent organizations involved in reviving national culture were formally closed without exception. Hundreds of educators, writers, musicians, and artists have been imprisoned. Those who speak the Belarusian language are beaten in police departments and persecuted in administrative prisons. Media specializing in history and culture have been declared ‘extremist.’ School textbooks are being rewritten. Books are being purged in libraries. These are signs of ethnocide.”
