Ukrainian Human Rights Activists Called on Kyiv to Introduce Tough Economic Sanctions against Lukashenka's Regime

They include the termination of diplomatic relations.

Ukrainian human rights organizations called on the Ukrainian authorities to respond to the repression of the Belarusian human rights activists and journalists. They provided the Charter97.org website with the text of the statement.

- The authorities of the Republic of Belarus continue to attack civil society. On 16 February, the regime of dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka dealt a blow to the most well-known human rights organizations - HRC Viasna and the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). Searches were carried out in the offices of these organizations and the apartments of more than 40 human rights activists and journalists throughout the country.

In particular, searches started in the morning in the office of BAJ chairman Andrei Bastunts, BAJ press-secretary Barys Haretski, BAJ lawyer Aleh Aheyeu and in the office of BAJ (after the searches the office was sealed), the home of Homel freelance journalist Larysa Shchyryakova, Homel journalist Anatol Hatouchyk, activist and volunteer Valery Slepukhin, human rights activist and volunteer Valery Spepukhin, human rights defender Natallia Satsunkevich, members of the Mahiliou branch of the organization Aliaksei Kolchyn and Barys Bukhel, heads of the Mazyr and Svetlahorsk branches of Viasna Uladzimir Tselepun and Alena Maslyukova, the office of Viasna in Minsk; the press secretary of the Boris Zvozkov's Belarusian Human Rights House Jauheniya Parashchanka, Mahiliou journalist Ales Burakou, Vitsebsk human rights activist Iryna Tretyakova, coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty campaign Andrei Paluda, Brest volunteers Katsyaryna Bazhko and Anna Bahdanovich, members of the independent trade union REP Ihar Komlik, Andrei Komlik-Yamatsin and the office of this organization, lawyer Krystsina Richter, the parents of human rights activist and co-founder of the initiatives BY_help and BYSOL Andrei Stryzhak in Rechytsa, as well as other human rights activists and journalists. Brest human rights defender Uladzimir Vyalichkin, head of the REP Henadz Fyadynich and chairman of the trade union Vasil Zavadski do not answer the phone.

It was preceded by a wave of discrediting articles and TV stories in the pro-government media. They called human rights defenders and independent journalists "extremists, hiding behind the Declaration of Human Rights" and accused them of preparing a "coup d'etat".

One can conclude that the Belarusian authorities had long been preparing to deal a crushing blow to civil society, which had been almost the only safeguard against structural arbitrariness in the country. Other active representatives of Belarusian society will likely become targets of repression soon.

We witness the regime of Lukashenka blatantly violating all human rights obligations of the Republic of Belarus. If the violations continue, the crimes against human rights in Belarus will become even more brutal and massive. As a result, it will bring suffering not only to the Belarusian people but the whole system of collective security in Europe.

We should recall that the UN Member States recognized in the "Declaration on Human Rights Defenders" that the activities of human rights defenders are a guarantee of collective peace and sustainable development. The pressure on human rights defenders is an unacceptable violation of the human rights obligations of the Belarusian government to the world community. Given the current situation, all democratic countries must take all necessary steps to cease the illegal pressure on the human rights and journalistic community of Belarus and prevent even grosser and more numerous violations.

We appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the President of Ukraine:

- to demand from the state authorities of Belarus to immediately stop the persecution of human rights defenders and independent journalists;

- to condemn the repression and political pressure on human rights defenders and independent journalists by the Belarusian authorities;

- to urge governments of partner countries to impose tough economic sanctions and increase international isolation of Aliaksandr Lukashenka's regime;

- to refuse economic cooperation with Belarusian state-owned enterprises and commercial entities affiliated with the Belarusian authorities;

- in the absence of a proper response from the Belarusian authorities, consider the termination of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Belarus.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com