“Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Ambassador Carpenter, dear Ambassador Ostrauskaite, thank you for kindly organizing this meeting.
It's great to see so many of our friends here. I remember the very first months of our democratic uprising, and how vocal you were about Belarus. Your support, your attention helped us keep this momentum going.
Now, behind the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, Belarus could be easily overlooked. However, its role is crucial – both for peace Ukraine, and stability in Europe.
Lukashenka’s participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine is the logical outcome of the political crisis that has started in 2020.
Had we succeeded in 2020, Russia’s war against Ukraine would probably not have happened. We would have an entirely different situation in Europe now.
Looking at those events from a 2-years distance, we see that the world’s reaction could have been much stronger too. Frankly speaking, international organizations such as the OSCE could have done more to help resolve the crisis in Belarus. And I still believe there is a lot in OSCE's mandate that could be done.
In 2020, Belarusians astonished everyone and themselves first of all. Up to 1.5 million marched in 40 cities demanding free elections. We have chosen democracy over tyranny. The dictator stole our choice and launched a campaign of brutal repression.
International organizations like the OSCE mostly issued condemning statements and reports. Our requests for international mediation of the crisis weren’t implemented. Human rights abuses only escalated. It took 9 months for real sanctions against Lukashenka’s regime to be imposed. And only after the Ryanair hijacking.
Feeling impunity, Lukashenka was constantly raising the stakes: orchestrated the migrant crisis and now enabled the war. Without Lukashenka, the assault on Kyiv from the North would not have been possible. Now, we only see stakes going higher. He is weaponizing food. In particular, he conditions the transit of Ukrainian grain through Belarus territory with lifting sanctions on potash. He put us in front of a false dilemma: food or human rights. I urge you not to give in to the dictators' blackmail.
Meanwhile, the repressions have only escalated. Today, human rights defenders recognized 6 more political prisoners, and its total number has grown to 1223. Exactly one year ago this number was three times smaller, 436. 909 political prisoners are sentenced to 4300 years in prison. Just imagine that – 4300 years of stolen life.
The stopping of repression can lead to the collapse of the regime. All law enforcement agencies are now focused on searching for enemies. Some of them even compete to see who could repress more. Lukashenka understands very well that in 2020 people felt freedom. One day without arrests will be enough for thousands to come out again.
Therefore he increases prison sentences as well. In 2020, activists could face 15 days in jail, now it’s 15 years, or even more. These people are not just political prisoners, they are hostages. For example, my husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski was sentenced to 18 years of prison. I understand that this is a way for them to pressure me, but also they are putting a price tag before possible “trade of political prisoners”.
Just three weeks ago, the regime annouced that death penalty can be applied in case of a so-called “terrorist attempt”. Dozens of political activists have already been charged with a “terrorist attempt”. Maryia Kalesnikava, Maksim Znak, or myself are among them. We are closely watching the trial of Mikalai Autukhovich, who may face death.
Before 2020, there was only one official “terrorist” in Belarus, now it is 60. The regime labels activists as terrorists to intimidate them but also to force international organizations such as Interpol hunting on them. The regime must be excluded from international institutions for abusing them. The regime also requests the personal data on its opponents from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, explaining that they are “terrorists”.
Because of this terrible repression, our protest went underground. The cost became too high: participation means immediate arrest, interrogation, possible torture, persecution of family members… Despite that, on the 27th of February, tens of thousands took to the streets again, this time to protest against the war. 919 people were detained on this day only. Since the war started, 1714 people were detained for various anti-war protests which did not stop in Belarus for a single day.
Even Lukashenka’s supporters are against war. Anti-war moods in Belarus society unite people across ages, professions, and political views. According to reliable polls, 86% oppose the potential participation of Belarusian troops in war against Ukraine. In the last three months, we witnessed 80 acts of peaceful railway sabotage. Hacktivists held several attacks on state infrastructure to stop the movement of Russian troops.
Our Anti-War Movement can claim two victories:
- First: Our country didn’t become a place where the Russian army feels safe. Belarusian partisans have conducted more than 80 acts of sabotage on the railways to stop the movement of Russian troops.
- And second: Belarus army refused to enter Ukraine, despite the attempts to drag it into this war. And it’s also the achievement of our people, of mothers, and of course of officers, who refused to follow this criminal order.
Belarusians risked their freedom, their health, and often their lives. Why? Because we understand that the fates of our nations are interdependent. There can be no safety for Ukraine without democracy in Belarus. And vice versa.
Unfortunately, we can’t tell for sure that another attack on Ukraine will not take place from Belarus territory. Significant part of Russian troops and equipment stay in Belarus. There are constant drills aimed to weaken Ukrainian defense. It’s evident that Lukashenka has lost most of his political sovereignty, and he is not in full control of Belarus territory. Moreover, we hear concerning signals that illegitimate Lukashenka and Russia discuss a referendum on unification of Belarus and Russia already this fall. This should never happen.
I hope the international community will help us to restore sovereignty, and legitimate governance within Belarus. And the best way will be through new free and fair elections. This is how it all started, and we must keep this demand on the top.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am cautiously optimistic about the role of international organizations in resolving the crisis in Belarus. Their possibilities are quite limited. But let me share several ideas what can be done by OSCE:
- First. It would make sense to organize a high-level conference this year to learn from previous mistakes and see what still can be done to improve. We are grateful to the OSCE member states that supported the Vienna and Moscow mechanisms. But did this result in any tangible action by the OSCE as an organization? I am not sure.
- Second: OSCE's executive structures could be more pro-active, and braver. I know, of course, that the decisions in the OSCE are made by consensus, but the lack of any action is disappointing. With a solid backing from OSCE Chairpersn, the Secretary General can be more active in facilitating a negotiated solution.
- Third: Practical projects on helping free media can be launched. Representative on Freedom of the Media can facilitate.
- Fourth. ODIHR, as the structure responsible for human rights, could have more public engagements in Belarus. It can work engage with the human rights defenders and provide legal opinions. For example, the Venice Commission provided a very valuable opinion in February on the sham constitutional reform. ODIHR did not join the opinion.
- Fifth. The High Commissioner on National Minorities could pay more attention to the issue of detained Poles in Belarus. Right now, Angelika BOris and Andrej PochObyt from the leadership of Belarusian Union of Poles are kept in prison for no reason.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I know that most of the OSCE participating States are doing what they can, but I think the OSCE overall could do more.
Let me conclude on a more positive note. The OSCE has been built as a community of very diverse states. It built bridges where there were none. It connected the people, not the countries or the regimes.
I think that if the organization goes back to the roots of connecting people it has a role to play in the future. These people in the OSCE will include the people of Belarus. Not the regime, not the politicians who win and hopefully one day lose the elections, but the people.
Thank you!”
