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End all assaults, arrests and detentions of civil society in Belarus

31 March 2006

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation condemns the widespread arrests and detention of political and civil society activists following the recent presidential elections in Belarus, widely considered flawed by Belarusian civil society and international observers.

CIVICUS urges the Government of Belarus to release immediately and unconditionally all imprisoned activists and end violations of freedom of association, assembly and expression.

According to reports by VIASNA, a human rights centre in Belarus, a recorded 480 people had been arrested and were being detained as of 28 March, although other sources claim close to 600 could be in prison. Observers estimate over 20,000 protesters participated in peaceful demonstrations in Minsk on the day of the election, 19 March and thousands of others have taken to the streets since then.

Police violence against protesters has also been reported, including the police attack on group of about 2,000 demonstrators in Minsk on 25 March, on their way to protest against the detention of protesters, according to the International Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.

In reaction to the elections, the European Union has called for visa sanctions against leaders of the government. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations have decried the election as neither free nor fair, deplored the recent arrests and police abuse of demonstrators and appealed for the release of political prisoners.

During the Warsaw Regional NGO Congress last weekend, co-organised by the Council of Europe, 150 civil society leaders from the region, including CIVICUS representatives, expressed their solidarity with civil society in Belarus and appealed for the release of imprisoned activists.

Considering this well-documented and ongoing violation of the rights of civil society, CIVICUS urges the Government of Belarus to:

  • " Immediately and unconditionally release all civil society and political activists and journalists imprisoned following the election;
  • " End the harassment, assault, arrest and detention of members of civil society, as well as the media and the political opposition;
  • " Engage civil society in a constructive and genuine dialogue and allow civil society to freely scrutinise the election;
  • " Acknowledge the essential role of civil society and endeavour to expand the space for civil society in Belarus through respecting and protecting freedoms of expression, association and assembly.

    CIVICUS urges other European heads of state, particularly neighbouring states Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia to:

  • " Condemn the recent attacks on civil society, political opposition and the media as unacceptable and in violation of fundamental human rights;
  • " Urge the Government of Belarus to release all political prisoners;
  • " Appeal to the Government of Belarus to end all harassment, assaults, arrests and detentions of all civil society and political activists, and media.

    For more information about CIVICUS, visit www.civicus.org and www.civilsocietywatch.org. Or contact the Civil Society Watch programme by email cswatch@civicus.org and telephone +27 11 833 5959.