During her visit to Canberra, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in a roundtable discussion with members of the Liberal Party. The meeting brought together politicians, experts, and representatives of civil society. The participants discussed ways to support political prisoners, democratic change in Belarus, and Belarusian communities in Australia.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya proposed practical steps for the current and future governments of Australia to support Belarus:
- Maintain pressure on Putin and Lukashenka – dictators must not feel safe.
- Insist on justice – support international legal proceedings to hold perpetrators accountable.
- Join the International Humanitarian Fund to support the victims of repression and help released prisoners and their families rebuild their lives.
- Assist Belarusians in exile – recognize expired documents that cannot be renewed.
- Do not extradite Belarusian citizens to Belarus.
- Establish official relations with Belarusian democratic institutions.
- Keep Belarus on the agenda – at the UN, within regional partnerships, and at human rights forums.
- Fully support Ukraine – the two countries’ destinies are intertwined, as they are fighting the same enemy: Russian imperialism. Ukraine’s victory will open a window of opportunity for Belarus.
