Statement of the “RADA” due to a new wave of political persecution of NGOs

There is ongoing pressure on the public sector in Belarus: on July 14, more than 30 representatives of public organizations were searched.

We believe that ongoing persecution of civil society representatives is politically motivated and violates the freedoms and rights of citizens guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. We call on the Belarusian state bodies to comply with the norms of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the basic principles and norms of international law.

We remind that the resolution of the current socio-political crisis contains 3 main demands of the Belarusian society, which were formed in August 2020:

• release all political prisoners and end the politically motivated persecution of the country’s citizens;
• transparent investigation of all facts of torture, beatings and murders of citizens;
• conduct new transparent and democratic elections.

In this regard, we:

1. Strongly condemn current wave of pressure and repression against civil society and human rights organizations and call for the immediate release of detainees;
2. Express our solidarity and support to all those affected by repressions;
3. Call on the civil society of Belarus and in other countries to show solidarity and express their support to those who are under repressions in Belarus;
4. We call on the Belarusian authorities to stop repressive actions and start a real process of dialogue with the society.

List of victims of political repression on July 14, 2021 (updated):

1. Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
2. Belarus Helsinki Committee
3. Movement “For Freedom!”
4. Lawtrend human rights organization
5. IPA Gender Perspectives human rights organization
6. Imena  magazine
7. Belarusian journalists’ association
8. BEROC  Center for Economic Research
9. BPF party 
10. Site “Territory of Rights”
11. Association of Belarusians of the World “Fatherland”
12.  Office for European Expertise and Communications
13.  Трэці сектар / NGO “Centre “The Third sector”
14.  АГА “Фонд імя Льва Сапегі” 
15. The Association of Life-Long Learning and Enlightenment
16. Union of Belarusan Writers
17. Research laboratory Novak
18. “Center for information and legal support of socially unprotected groups of the population “Аdvocacy”
19. Valiantsin Stefanovich, Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
20. Ales Bialiatski, Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
21. Uladzimir Labkovich, Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
22. Siarhei Sys, Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
23. Viktar Sazonau,  Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
24. Aleh Matskevich,  Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
25. Alena Laptsionak, Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
26. Ihar Kazmerchak,  Viasna. Human rights in Belarus
27. Andrei Paluda, coordinator of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty” 
28. Yauheniya Babajeva 
29. Olga Smolyanko, Lawtrend
30. Marina Statkevich
31. Yaroslav Romanchuk
32. Tamara Matskevich, Belarusian School Society
33. Sergey Matskevich, Center “Community” 
34. Kirill Kafanov, Human Constanta
35. Nikolai Sharakha
36. Sofia Yemelyanova