Thursday 28 March 2024 | 16:56

Statement of the Belarusan National Platform of the EaP CSF

14.12.2012  |  Society
Statement of the Belarusan National Platform of the EaP CSF

The participants of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum have expressed deep concern due to the recurrent series of repressive actions from the side of the Belarusan authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT
OF THE BELARUSAN NATIONAL PLATFORM
OF THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM

12 December, 2012
Minsk, Belarus

We, participants of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, express our deep concern due to the recurrent series of repressive actions from the side of the Belarusian authorities in relation to Belarusian civil society organizations, their representatives and partners, independent journalists and creative unions, as well as religious communities of Belarus.

On the 26th of November, 2012 the office of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" was confiscated in compliance with the unjust politically motivated sentence passed to Ales Bialiatski a year ago. These actions are the recurrent violation of Freedom of Association from the side of the Belarusan authorities; the pressure on the dissidents is continuing to build as well as attempts to frighten and to outlaw human rights activists do. We demand from the Belarusan authorities to free Ales Bialiatski immediately, to reverse unjust judgments on the confiscation of property passed by courts as well as to stop practice of persecuting human rights activists and to provide them with the right to implement human rights activity, which is in demand with the civil society, guaranteed by the Constitution and by the Laws of Belarus.

During 2012 unacceptable practice of criminal persecution of journalists, independent editions and creative youth unions is ongoing in the country. We believe these actions to irreparably damage Belarusan culture and intellectual community, and demand ultimate ceasing of criminal persecution of the journalist Andrzej Poczobut, express concern due to the pressure on the intellectual magazine "ARCHE" and the persecution of its editor Valer Bulgakau, call upon Minsk executive committee to abolish disgraceful practice of pressure on tenants and to provide Open Cultural Area "Art Siadziba" with a possibility to rent accommodation for their activity without interference.

We express resolute protest against persecution of civil society activists and insist on the abolishment of their criminal persecution and their immediate release, as well as the abolishment of exercising pressure, ungrounded inspections, temporal shutdown and liquidation of a number of independent civil society organizations, particularly the examples of the last months - Informational and educational Institution "Platform" and Civil Association "Dobraja Volia" ("Good will"). We also call upon the impartial and unbiased investigation of the case of the youth association "Union of Young Intellectuals" activist Andrei Gaidukou, arrested in Vitebsk on the 8th of November, 2012.

In the second half of 2012 foreign partners of Belarusan civil society organizations face numerous simulated problems when getting Belarusan visa, as well as when they try to visit Belarus to meet their colleagues. The latest examples of visa declines to the chairman of the "Radio Racyja" board and the editor-in-chief of the weekly for Belarusans in Poland "Niva" Jauhien Vapa, the member of the Board of "Batskaushchyna" World Association of Belarusans, the chairman of the Belarusan culture in Lithuania Association Hvedar Niuńka, historian and chairman of Belarusan Association "Khatka" in Gdansk Lena Glagouskaja as well as our partners from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Lithuania and other countries are unacceptable for the practice of modern international relations, irreparably damage the image of the country in the eyes of the international community. We demand to immediately stop the practice of the unmotivated impediments in the implementation of the international cooperation of Belarusan civil organizations with their partners, which demonstrates the closeness and the repressive character of Belarusan authorities in relation to the representatives of the international civil community.

We sincerely welcome the stopping of the jurisdiction in relation to the religious Association of Full Gospel Christians "New Life Church". We call upon the due officials of Minsk and Minsk Region executive committee to abandon their claims to the New Life Church, to provide the management of the community with the documents of ownership of the accommodation and to guarantee possibility to freely realize their right to freedom of conscience.

On December 7, 2012 Alexander Lukashenko signed the Decree No. 9 on additional measures to develop the woodworking industry. This document consolidates new forms of the forced labor which were first set in 1999 by the Decree No. 29 on additional measures to improve working conditions, consolidate working and operating discipline. Now the cancelation of an agreement before its expiry is permissible only by consent of the employer (while before the condition was "by mutual consent"). It is the first time in all the modern Belarusan history such conditions are created when there exists compulsory work and workers have to pay money to the state only because they have resigned  or fired. We pay the attention of Belarusan authorities to the fact that these Decrees abuse Belarusan citizens’ job rights and call upon the immediate abolition of Decree No. 29 and Decree No. 9 as they contradict the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the Labor Code of the country, and international commitments of the Republic of Belarus in the human rights sphere.

Signatures

Uladzimir Matskevich, Chairperson of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

Uladzislau Vialichka, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum; International Consortium “EuroBelarus”

Piotr Kuzniatsou, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the EaP CSF; Gomel Democratic Forum

Sergey Drozdovsky, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the EaP CSF; Enlightenment Human Rights Establishment "Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities"

Yury Hubarevich, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the EaP CSF; Human Rights and Enlightenment public association "Movement "For Freedom"

Olga Smolianko, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the EaP CSF; Enlightenment Institution "Legal Transformation Center"

Yaroslav Bekish, National coordinator of the EaP CSF on Belarus, Member of the Coordination Committee of the National Platform of the EaP CSF; Environmental Fellowship "Green Alliance"

Andrei Yahorau, Center for European Transformation

Yauhen Boika, Civic initiative "Mogilev Education Initiative"

Ihar Lalkou, Public Association "BPF "Adradzhenne"

Dmitry Gomenyuk, Information and Enlightenment Institution "GEDEUS"

Tatiana Poshevalova, Public Association "Center for social innovations"

father Leonid Akalovich, Belarusan Autocephalous Orthodox Church

Irina Kaparikha, Public Association "Ecohome"

Irina Sukhy, Public Association "Ecohome"

Aliaksandr Karalevich, Public Union "Education Center "POST"

Dina Shavtsova, jurist

Miraslau Kobasa, Enlightenment Public Association "Leu Sapieha Foundation"

Valadar Tsurpanau, Initiative "Ruzhanne. Mahiliou luchnasc’"

Anatoly Shvetsov, Public Association "Protection of Rights of Parents and Children"

Tatsiana Vadalazhskaya, Humanitarian Techniques Agency

Tatsiana Zialko, Initiative group on establishing Public Association of Belarusian Pensioners "Our Generation"

Sergei Dezhurko, Cultural and Enlightenment Public Association "Humanitarian Bridge"

Svetlana Koroleva, National Council of Children and Youth Organizations "RADA"

Ales' Krot, Youth trade union group "Studentskaya rada"

Vitaut Rudnik, Public Association "Centre "The Third Sector"

Inna Kuley, Committee for Defence of the Repressed "Salidarnasc"

Ihar Lednik, Human Rights Movement "Our Belarus"

Iryna Zhykhar, National Public Association "Belarusan Organization of Working Women"

Other news section «Society»

What actually the State List of Historical and Cultural Values gives to Belarusan Heritage Sites?
What actually the State List of Historical and Cultural Values gives to Belarusan Heritage Sites?
The Belarus Committee of ICOMOS announces the collection of cases on the effectiveness of the State List of Historical and Cultural Values as a tool of the safeguarding the cultural monuments.
The right to heritage according to the standards of the Faro Convention: is it possible in Belarus?
The right to heritage according to the standards of the Faro Convention: is it possible in Belarus?
On March 27-28, the Belarus ICOMOS and the EuroBelarus held an online expert workshop on expanding opportunities for community participation in the governance of historical and cultural heritage.
“It is our big joint work”
“It is our big joint work”
It is impossible to change life in cities just in three years (the timeline of the “Agenda 50” campaign implementation). But changing the structure of relationships in local communities is possible.
The “Agenda 50” campaign was finalised by the Regional Development Forum
The “Agenda 50” campaign was finalised by the Regional Development Forum
The Forum was devoted not so much to the outputs as to the challenges and prospects after the creation and signing of local agendas.
Mikhail Matskevich: How to create a local agenda and make it a problem solving tool
Mikhail Matskevich: How to create a local agenda and make it a problem solving tool
To achieve changes, you need to be interested in them and stop pinning all hopes on the state.
“If a person cannot leave the apartment, he or she does not need an accessible Opera House”
“If a person cannot leave the apartment, he or she does not need an accessible Opera House”
In Stoubcy, they talked about universal design and conducted pilot monitoring of two urban sites accessibility.
Local agenda in Valożyn: mission accomplished
Local agenda in Valożyn: mission accomplished
"Specificity is different, but the priority is general." In Valożyn, a local strategy for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed.
How Ščučyn was proceeding towards the solution of problems of people with disabilities
How Ščučyn was proceeding towards the solution of problems of people with disabilities
The campaign "Agenda 50" was summed up in Ščučyn, and a local action plan for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed there.
A program to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities was designed in Stolin
A program to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities was designed in Stolin
The regional center has become the second city in Belarus where the local plan for the implementation of the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed.
“Agenda 50” in Belarus: from strategies to implementation
“Agenda 50” in Belarus: from strategies to implementation
Representatives of the campaign “Agenda 50” from five pilot cities discussed achievements in creating local agendas for implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
In Stoubcy, a local action plan for the implementation of the Convention was signed
In Stoubcy, a local action plan for the implementation of the Convention was signed
It is noteworthy that out of the five pilot cities, Stoubcy was the last to join the campaign “Agenda 50”, but the first one to complete the preparation of the local agenda.
The monitoring of accessibility was presented in Stolin
The monitoring of accessibility was presented in Stolin
On May 28, the city hosted a presentation of the results of the project "Equal to Equal" which was dedicated to monitoring the barrier-free environment in the city.
“They think if the legs don’t function, neither functions the head.”
“They think if the legs don’t function, neither functions the head.”
In Babruysk, wheelchair users are fighting discrimination.
The real work of the Convention depends on all interested communities and organizations
The real work of the Convention depends on all interested communities and organizations
What results has the campaign "Agenda 50" given, what helps to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the regions?
The Convention is a fight against fears, barriers and stigmata
The Convention is a fight against fears, barriers and stigmata
Experts in Valožyn have determined that the quality of people’s life depends on their awareness.
The Convention should become a "living tool”, rather than remaining just an ordinary document
The Convention should become a "living tool”, rather than remaining just an ordinary document
On March 3, members of the campaign "Agenda 50" from different Belarusian cities met in Minsk. The campaign is aimed at the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The main thing is one’s personal motivation for full active life (PHOTOS)
The main thing is one’s personal motivation for full active life (PHOTOS)
There are being implemented three projects under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities campaign in the city of Babruysk.
One man does not make a team, but united we are able to do a lot
One man does not make a team, but united we are able to do a lot
In Ščučyn, people with disabilities learned to be leaders and to advocate their interests.
Barrier-free environment – it is not a ramp, but a means of independence (PHOTOS)
Barrier-free environment – it is not a ramp, but a means of independence (PHOTOS)
In Stolin, social organizations and local authorities are implementing a project aimed at independent living of persons with disabilities, and creating local agenda for the district.
Polish experts: We say “equality” and you say “inclusion”
Polish experts: We say “equality” and you say “inclusion”
Will creation of local agendas be an effective tool in ensuring rights of persons with disabilities in Belarus, just as it was in Poland?
Gintautas Mažeikis: The relation of political field and arena in the framework of information war

In his report, philosopher Gintautas Mažeikis discusses several concepts that have been a part of the European social and philosophical thought for quite a time.

“It is our big joint work”

It is impossible to change life in cities just in three years (the timeline of the “Agenda 50” campaign implementation). But changing the structure of relationships in local communities is possible.

Shhh! Belarus Wants You to Think It’s Turning Over a New Leaf

Minsk’s muddled media clampdown could jeopardize warming of relations with the West.

Mikhail Matskevich: How to create a local agenda and make it a problem solving tool

To achieve changes, you need to be interested in them and stop pinning all hopes on the state.