Heads of Belarusian Public Associations Apply to Parliamentarians of Foreign Countries
About 20 Heads of different Belarusian public organizations, activists of the campaign “Our Solidarity”, signed the Appeal to parliamentarians of foreign countries. Among them – Ales Bialiatski (Assembly of NGOs), Zhana Litvina (Belarusian Association of Journalists), leaders of regional resource centers Vital Vasilkow (Mahiliow), Ales Milinkevich (Harodnia), Viktar Karnienka (Homel), Ina Kuley (Brest). The appeal tells the parliamentarians about the “new anti-constitutional persecution campaign against bodies of civic society and independent press” in Belarus.
The signers ask parliamentarians to express their attitude to the presented facts and also take them into consideration while exercising external policy.
Representatives of Belarusian third sector turn attention of the parliamentarians on forcible liquidation of two large organizations – “Youth Christian Social Union” and “Public Initiatives” (Homel). To their mind, there are few hopes for just and objective trial in the two remaining cases (Hrodna “Ratusha” and Baranavichy “Varuta”).
The signers expressed their anxiety the official pressurization of the organizations that defended the liquidated associations and presented their interests at trial (Independent Institution of Legal Research, Human Rights Center “Viasna”).
Organization-members of the NGOs’ Assembly, initiators of “Our Solidaruty” campaign, turn attention of representatives of foreign Parliaments to the situation of independent Belarusian mass media: “Belarusian authorities consequently annihilate the last non-controllable editions that are the only source of objective information about the country’s events for its citizens. Independent press is the main obstacle for development of authoritarian dictatorship in Belarus.”
The signers register that “strengthening of ideological work” announced by President Lukashenka in spring turned into an unspeakable pressure on all manifestations of other-mindedness. One of the results was liquidation of Yakub Kolas National Humanitarian State Lyceum.
The appeal has been filed to the Parliaments of Latvia, Slovakia, Germany, France and other European countries.
Based on information of the Assembly of NGOs
