Rally Against Military Exercises West-2017 To Be Held In Minsk On July 7

The meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will be held in Minsk on this day.

On July 7, there will be a rally demanding to release political prisoners and abolish the West-2017 exercises on Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk.

It is stated in the appeal of European Belarus civil campaign coordinator Maksim Viniarskyi.

The statement has been made on behalf of the European Belarus civil campaign. We quote the text in full:

"Over the past months, we have been persistently demanding from the authorities to release political prisoners, holding solidarity events and raising the issue of human rights violations in Belarus at the international level.

A few days ago, the last participants of the Patriots’ Case were released from custody. Thus, the authorities fulfilled part of our demands. Nevertheless, political prisoners Dzmitry Palienka and Mikhail Zhamchuzhny are still behind the bars. Absurd allegations against the patriots have not been lifted, and the released prisoners remain hostages of the regime and they can return for jail at any time. In addition, the authorities refuse to rehabilitate former political prisoners.

An important role in releasing the Patriots’ Case participants was played by the pressure on the regime both inside Belarus and from outside. The authorities are forced to make concessions in particular due to important international forums, which are held in the capital of Belarus and which the regime seeks to use for its legitimization. One of them is the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which is to be held in Minsk from 5 to 9 July. We demand to raise the issue of human rights violations in our country at the meeting, as well as to draw attention to the fact that dictatorship is a danger not only for the Belarusians, but for the whole region.

In autumn, a large-scale military exercises West-2017 will be held jointly with Russia. Russian troops are being already transferred to the territory of Belarus. The joint military exercises with a state-aggressor are a threat to the whole of Eastern Europe. Many experts and politicians warn that the occupation of Belarus may occur under the guise of the exercises, and the maneuvers themselves can become preparations for an offensive operation against neighboring countries.

We call on citizens to come to Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk at 6:00 pm on July 7 to demand the immediate release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners and to protest against the joint military exercises with Russia.

Let’s say Basta! to Lukashenka and Putin’s military games.

For peaceful Belarus!