PORA-PRP Statement on Violations of Civil Rights and Liberties in Belarus

The PORA-PRP civic bloc of Ukraine strongly condemns the actions by the
Belarus government aimed at strangling freedom and democracy in the
country.

On Feb. 21, Belarus security service, KGB, began massive arrests of public
activists who intended to monitor the March 19 presidential election in
Belarus. The activists worked for the Partnerstvo (Partnership) NGO and
were engaged in training observers and disseminating information about
voter rights. Their major crime, for which they have been mercilessly
thrown behind bars by Aleksandr Lukashenka regime, is that they have taken
their own public stand, that they are aware of their constitutional rights
and have a strong feeling of personal dignity. Meanwhile, formally they
have been accused of insulting the president of Belarus.

For a democracy, an individual makes the highest value. For a
dictatorship, an individual poses the highest threat.

PORA-PRP stands for a speedy involvement of citizens in exercising the
power and controlling it. In neighboring Belarus , its citizens are
subjected to coercions and cruel repressions when they try to control the
government.

We, hereby, voice support for our Belarusian brothers and colleagues, many
of whom we know personally. We urge Ukraine's Foreign Ministry to take
notice of the existing flagrant violations of human rights in the Republic
of Belarus. In 2004 Ukraine proclaimed itself to be a democratic leader in
the region. The present developments in Belarus provide a good occasion
for Ukraine to demonstrate its commitment to uphold democratic values and
human rights.

We demand that Ukraine's Foreign Ministry and the country's high-ranking
officials urgently and clearly react to the violations of human rights by
the Belarus regime. We suggest that political asylum be granted to the
arrested Belarusian activists.

http://pora.org.ua/eng/content/view/3072/1/