Respect For Human Rights In Belarus Means Regional Security

Belarus is highly important for the whole region, and today there is an opportunity to help Belarusians liberate themselves from the dictatorship.

Leader of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sannikov took part in the 10th Baltic Sea Region Forum, which was held on May 30 in Turku (Finland).

The politician set some thesises of his speech at the forum:

“We were asked to introduce ourselves, but I also want to make a confession: I was convicted and jailed, I served a term in jail for running at the election against Lukashenka in 2010, and participating in a peaceful demonstration of protest against the falsification of that election.

Today I am once again accused, this time in organizing an armed coup in Belarus. In this case, 16 political prisoners are currently being tortured in prisons.

I know that there are representatives of the Belarusian embassy in the hall, they were sent not to participate in the conference, but to monitor me. I have the same request to them as to my informers in the penal colonies. I always asked for one thing: report, but do not distort my words. I have nothing to hide.

So, taking advantage of the presence of the regime’s representatives here, I would like to proclaim that I am a principled adherent of non-violent methods and peaceful transformations. All the charges they hang on me are lies, and the political prisoners mentioned in this case are innocent.

At this forum, just like at many others, the official representatives of Belarus are not welcomed. This is easy to fix. Release all political prisoners, stop persecuting Yauhen Afnahel, Maxim Viniarski, Palina and Andrei Sharenda, Leanid Kulakou, other democratic activists and journalists, stop repressions, hold fair elections, and you will be invited.

It is free elections that can save the country from a catastrophe.

Over the years, we have talked about the fact that the dictatorship in Belarus threatens the security of our neighbors and of Europe as a whole. Today it became quite obvious. There is growing concern about the upcoming West-2017 exercise this autumn, during which, at the invitation of Lukashenka, a large number of Russian troops will be stationed in Belarus, and it is not known how this will end.

We all heard here Lithuania’s representatives talking about the threat to their security due to the construction of hte Astravets NPP. All these threats are real and caused by the existence of the regime that occupied the state power of Belarus. It’s time to stop making the same mistakes over and over again: trying to facilitate democratic and economic reforms in the authoritarian countries with the help of the dictators themselves. This won’t work, and the continuation of such policy will lead to new conflicts and outbreaks of violence.

There should be no doubt that respect for human rights, support for democratic institutions, independent media - this is security. The very visible security and protection from aggression. And you need to invest in it.

Unfortunately, some are still trying to see Lukashenka as a guarantor of independence and the buffer protection from Putin. This is a big mistake which will lead to new threats to the European security. It's strange that these dangerous games are played not only by some governments, but also by American and European funds, which should support real protection of human rights and free press.

Belarus is extremely important for the whole region, and today there is an opportunity to help us get rid of the dictatorship peacefully through fair elections.”