Urgent appeal of the BCD with respect to the repressions against the party founders
The Belarusian authorities continue to put pressure on the citizens of Belarus, who became founders of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party. Thus, the head teacher of school № 1 in Minsk demanded of her colleague, who is a BCD founder, to withdraw her signature from the list of the BCD founders, threatening her with problems at work. According to some sources this head teacher has been actively involved in the falsification of votes during elections.
The workers of “MAPID” plant in Minsk were forced to write explanation notes why they became the founders of the BCD. The inhabitants of the house on Lynkou str. 17 were visited by the people, who introduced themselves as members of pro-Lukashenka “Belaya Rus” organisation and were forcing them withdraw their signatures as the BCD founders. Those persons were threatening the founders among other things with physical assault. Iryna Valter, deputy coordinator of the BCD in Miory district (Vitebsk region) was also intimidated with physical assault. She was called by the unknown people, who demanded that she denies her signature.
These are only a few examples of the pressure put on the BCD founders. Such actions by the authorities, when the citizens of Belarus were threatened with being fired and their families were terrorised, were recorded in Minsk, Miory district, Naroula (Homel region). The Belarusian regime has again started mass repressions against the founders of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party. Thus, they clearly show that in Belarus there are no legal possibilities for work of opposition parties and publicorganisations.
The BCD leaders appeal to the Belarusian society, human rights organisations and the international community to pay attention to the facts of the persecution of the BCD activists and to protest against violations of fundamental human rights and mass repressions against the founders of the party.
“We fix every fact of pressure on the founders of the BCD. We even have documentary evidence of this. It is important to point out that earlier the BCD activists have not faced anonymous physical assault threats in connection with their agreement to be the founders of the party. We remind of the impending criminal responsibility of everyone, who puts pressure on the Belarusian citizens, threatening them with repressions, dismissals, physical assault, because they violate the laws and the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. The Ministry of Justice does not want its officials to come under the EU sanctions and uses other forces to deal with the BCD members“- said the BCD co-chair, Vital Rymasheuski.
“We warn the Ministry of Justice, which violates human rights including the freedom of association, that such actions lead to escalation of social tensions within the country and discredit Belarus in eyes of the international community. The brutal actions of the authorities suggest further course of suppression of all sorts of freedoms in Belarus. Thus, they approximate the mass protests of our citizens against the repressions, as there remained almost no one who did not become their prey, “- he said.
