Human Rights Organization "Libereco" Called To Disconnect Lukashenka Regime From SWIFT

Europe shouldn't twiddle thumbs.

German-Swiss human rights organization "Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights" issued a statement calling on European countries to take tougher measures against the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

"In recent weeks, the last critical voices have been eliminated. The regime has crushed the remnants of Belarus' independent media and imprisoned dozens of media workers. The authorities have also attacked the offices of many human rights organizations, searched homes, and detained numerous human rights activists - including Ales Bialiatski, a winner of the alternative Nobel Prize 2020," the statement reads.

Libereco reminds that more than 40,000 people have been detained in Belarus over the past year. At least 1,500 people are currently imprisoned for political reasons throughout the country, and more than 500 are already recognized as political prisoners. Numerous prisoners have been subjected to torture, all of them have been subjected to intense psychological pressure.

In addition to the sanctions already imposed by many countries, Libereco calls on all democratic governments to take further measures against the Belarusian regime.

In particular, the human rights activists suggest excluding Belarusian banks from the international payment system SWIFT, banning trade in Belarusian government bonds, expelling all Belarusian ambassadors and recalling all the ambassadors from Belarus.

Marco Fieber, chairman of the German Libereco section, emphasizes:

"Europe should not be twiddling thumbs while very close, innocent people are put behind bars every day. Thus, the price of violating human rights by Lukashenka should be as high as possible for the regime and, at the same time, shouldn't be a source of suffering for the citizens.