On September 23, the Florence Bar Association held a meeting dedicated to the legal challenges facing Belarusians in Italy.
The Belarusian side was represented by:
- Yuliya Yukhno, Head of the Belarusian Democratic Community Center;
- a representative of the People’s Embassy of Belarus in Italy;
- Leanid Marozau, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs;
- Uladzimir Labkovich, a human rights defender with Viasna and former political prisoner.
The discussion focused on Belarusians with expired passports who are unable to safely return to Belarus to obtain new documents.
The participants also addressed:
- the current legal situation in Belarus;
- politically motivated persecution and transnational repression;
- the risks associated with returning to Belarus for people living abroad;
- international protection, legal status, and documentation for Belarusians in Italy.
The parties agreed to take cooperation between the Belarusian and Italian legal communities to a new level, strengthening legal protection for Belarusians in Italy.
