Mutual help and support
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held an online meeting with Belarusian public officers and officials. The Honest People initiative organized the call. The officials who took part in it entered through the anonymous and secure Telegram bot. The participants discussed the action plan for the “referendum” and the time following, the transition period, as well as the vision for the new Belarus and formats for regular cooperation.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held an open call with Belarusians regarding the state of the healthcare system. Both doctors and patients shared that physicians only have 2.5 minutes to examine a patient, and some organizations, to complete the vaccination targets on paper, pressure even those already vaccinated. See the details.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya contacted the Belarusian diaspora in Ukraine. She reported on the results of the work following the initial call on January 17, heard about more issues and problems faced by Belarusians in Ukraine, and established permanent working communication. A working group was formed on the project of recounting Belarusians who had to leave for Ukraine.
– Following the call, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held an online meeting with deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. She discussed the support for the Belarusian diaspora in Ukraine and stated the democratic forces’ position on regional security and the indispensability of both Belarus’ and Ukraine’s sovereignty. Read more.
– The Telegram channel of the Solidarity Platform started a digest on educational opportunities for Belarusians.
– The Spotlight of the Regions initiative released a new report. It covers the situation in Belarusian town Kamianets: politically motivated redundancies, election fraud, and the impact of the current economic crisis.
International work
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a meeting with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. She handed over a package of proposals to support the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania, as well as relocated Belarusians, in the issues of visa requirements, employment, rehabilitation assistance.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a meeting with ICAN Executive Director and 2017 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Beatrice Fihn. They discussed how to defend the neutral and nuclear-weapon-free status of Belarus, which is threatened by the actions of the regime.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya received German Bundestag parliamentarians in her office. After the meeting, MPs made a public statement on non-recognition of the constitutional “referendum” in Belarus and called Lukashenka's attempt to change the Constitution illegal.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod. They discussed the importance of the EU openly speaking out in support of Belarusian sovereignty. Denmark has established a fund to support media and human rights defenders.
– On February 2, the day Kastus Kalinouski was born, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, joined by Lithuanian, Polish, French, and American diplomats, honored the memory of the national hero.
