Near the Red Church: For our freedom and yours! (Photo, video, updated)

European Belarus activists managed to hold an action of solidarity on Independence square.

At 5:30 p.m. February 16, activists of the civil campaign European Belarus came to St Symon and Alena Church (Red Church) on Independence square in Minsk. The action as attended by leader of European Belarus Andrei Sannikov, Zmitser Barodka, Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, Uladzimir Lemesh and others.

The demonstrators held portraits of leaders of the Union of Poles, arrested on February 15 – Andrzej Poczobut, Igor Bancer, and Mieczyslaw Jaskiewicz, political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka, and Artsyom Dubski, and a banner “God with Us! For Our Freedom and Yours!”, Belarusian and Polish national flags.

“Today is February 16 – the day of solidarity with freedom fighters in Belarus, with political prisoners. This is not a coincidence that the events demonstrating the essence of Lukashenka’s regime have recently taken place. Repressions are becoming dangerous for people. Disguised servants of the regime beat people and mock them. Their main task is that nobody be able to know about their actions, so journalists are in the same danger as demonstrators: they may be beaten, hurt, tortured in militia stations, in prisons. However, the number of people ready to decisively defend their rights, rights of their friends struggling for free Belarus, is growing. We’ve gathered here to demonstrate our solidarity with the Union of Poles in Belarus, political prisoners and everyone living and struggling in our country,” Andrei Sannikov, the leader of European Belarus, told in an interview to charter97.org.

“Unfortunately, our scepticism towards the dialogue offered by Europe has proved true. It is impossible to influence the regime, which main achievement is demolition of human rights and freedoms in our country. Belarus cannot be isolated, but the regime of Lukashenka has to be isolated, as it menaces life and health of civilians. Europe should understand that this is the pressure not only on the Union of Poles, but on everything alive and free in Belarus, it shouldn’t close eyes to this,” the politician noted.

Activists of European Belarus handed round leaflets with information about repressions against the Polish minority.