The Belarusian leader held a briefing at the Polish Embassy in Bern for ambassadors from the EU countries, Ukraine, Canada, the United States, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
In her speech, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged the ambassadors to support the resolution on Belarus at the UN Human Rights Council, which will be considered in the spring, increase pressure on the regime, as well as demand the release of political prisoners.
The leader also called for continuing the two UN mechanisms invoked in relation to Belarus and supporting the implementation of Article 33 in the International Labour Organization, which was invoked against the Lukashenka regime last year.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s speech also focused on cooperation with Belarus’ democratic forces. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for the appointment of special envoys for Belarus, as France, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine have already done and the United States will do soon. The leader also thanked the countries that have already made statements of non-recognition of the regime’s sham election.
The discussion that followed the briefing centered around mechanisms for holding the regime accountable for its crimes, including through universal jurisdiction. The leader emphasized the importance of assistance to the repressed, independent Belarusian media, and human rights defenders.
