Members of Assembly of NGOs of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Support “Viasna” and Other Victimized NGOs

20.10.2003.

APPEAL

Of members of the Assembly of NGOs of the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova on prevention of conflicts

We, members of the Assembly, apply to the Government, the Ministry of Justice and personally to President of Belarus, Mr. Lukashenka with the demand to stop persecution of public organizations in the country, including the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

The relations between public organizations and the law machinery in Belarus reminds of the gospel legend about the king Herod and massacre of the innocents. Courts have already decided to liquidate a number of public organizations as the regime’s enemies. Such actions of the State bodies of Belarus couldn’t but result in the wave of protest and solidarity with the Belarusian under-cloud organizations of the third sector. However, it doesn’t stop the Belarusian authorities and the extermination of regional NGOs is going on. Mass check-ups of the third sector bodies added to the “black book” of future victims.

One of such organizations is the Public association “Human Rights Center “Viasna”, one of the most influential human rights organizations in Belarus. Thorough investigation of the Ministry of Justice of Belarus found defects in the accountancy and the administration rules of “Viasna”. We are convinced that such results of the investigation are to bring the demand to correct these defects, but not liquidation of the organization.

The intention to stop “Viasna” existence looks as lynching for the professional activity of this NGO that is well-known not only in CIS, but also in the international human rights movement for its high professionalism, objective information and sincere public position.

Members of the Assembly of NGOs of the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Several, who years ago united their forces for prevention and peaceful solution of conflict situations in these countries, urge the international community to support Human Rights Center “Viasna” and other victimized NGOs and by this impede the development of the dangerous trend aimed at strengthening of the ideological monopoly in Belarus.

Members of the Assembly of NGOs of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova on prevention of conflicts

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