Slovak foreign ministry decries persecution of independent journalists in Belarus

The Slovak foreign ministry has condemned the recent instances of persecution and harassment of independent journalists in Belarus.

“These steps of Belarusian authorities accompanied by the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations on March 25 are in contradiction with generally recognized principles of democracy, human rights and the declared interest of Belarus to develop constructive cooperation with the EU, Council of Europe and other international organizations,” the ministry says in a statement released to the press by the Slovak embassy in Minsk on Saturday.

According to the statement, Slovak Foreign Minister Ján Kubiš, in his capacity of chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, has called on the Belarusian authorities to respect international obligations regarding freedom of expression and stop the unjustified violation of human rights and freedoms.

Freedom of the press is “particularly important” in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Belarus, the statement notes.