The Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and a group of human rights defenders and historians have developed the Concept for the Establishment of the Institute of National Remembrance of Belarus.
The Institute of National Remembrance is envisioned as an independent mechanism that will operate on the basis of law, international standards, and the principle of the right to the truth – both individual and collective. The concept draws on the experience of Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states, Spain, Ukraine, and South Africa. It proposes a simple and clear model of the Institute that could function effectively, independently, consistently, and transparently in the Belarusian context.
Within this model, the Institute of National Remembrance would become a place where names are restored, documents are opened, guarantees of non-recurrence are developed, and a shared space for honest reflection on the past is created as a foundation for a democratic future.
The Institute of National Memory focuses on:
- documenting the mechanisms of repression;
- restoring the names and dignity of victims, as well as developing mechanisms for the rehabilitation of those affected by the actions of the Lukashenka regime;
- opening archives and ensuring access to documents;
- integrating verified knowledge into education and the public sphere;
- verifying lustration declarations of public officials, judges, and law enforcement personnel.
The Institute of National Remembrance is guided by respect for ancestors, national memory, and civic consciousness, as only through these can society be strengthened.
The Concept can be accessed at the following link.
Feedback, suggestions, and ideas regarding the Concept can be sent via email: transitionaljustice@tsikhanouskaya.org.
