Assembly of NGOs urges authorities to resume dialogue with civil society

The Assembly of Non-governmental Organizations, at its congress in Minsk on June 16, adopted a resolution calling on the Belarusian authorities to resume their dialogue with civil society and end its crackdown on NGOs.

The delegates to the congress demanded that the authorities stop immediately their practice of persecuting political opponents, civil society activists and journalists, and abolish their ban on acting on behalf of an unregistered organization.

The Assembly urged the international community to continue putting pressure on Minsk in an effort to improve the situation with democracy and human rights, and simplify visa rules or secure visa-free travel altogether for Belarusian citizens “for supporting the independent public, media and businesses not connected with the government.”

The delegates welcomed calls for appointing a UN special rapporteur on Belarus and hailed the European Union’s move to launch the European dialogue on modernization with Belarus.

The Assembly also demanded the release and full exoneration of all political prisoners.