– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a three-day working visit to Ireland. She met with the Belarusians of Dublin and visited the family that hosted her three times when she had come to Ireland as a teenager for the Chernobyl programs.
– During a meeting with Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya proposed to launch programs for the rehabilitation of children of political prisoners based on Chernobyl programs. The Prime Minister promised to raise the issue of Belarus in the European Council. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stated that there is an urgent need to help journalists and human rights defenders: given the crackdown, arrests, and blockades, they needed legal support, help with technical equipment, relocation, and resuming their work.
– With Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and European Affairs Minister Thomas Byrne, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed organizing hearings in the UN Security Council on torture, conditions of imprisonment, and lawless detentions.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya suggested that Ireland simplify visa regulations or cancel visas for Belarusians. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and the ministers discussed the possibility of increasing support for independent journalists and all repressed. A question was raised about the ICAO investigation into the Ryanair incident. Joint action by Poland, Lithuania, and Ireland against the Lukashenka regime is under consideration in the International Court of Justice.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also met with the Mayor of Dublin, the Speaker of the Senate, and the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. On the same day, the Irish Senate unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the repressions in Belarus, calling for new elections, and stressing the non-recognition of Lukashenka. A copy of the resolution was given to Ms. Tsikhanouskaya.
– Leader of democratic Belarus met with parliamentarians who took patronage over 23 Belarusian prisoners of conscience. All political prisoners in Belarus will be released under the Rehabilitation Act.
– Ryanair’s CEO Michael O'Leary shared with Ms.Tsikhanouskaya the results of their internal investigation into the plane hijacking. The report proved that the regime had acted intentionally and that its actions could be described as an act of terrorism. The head of Ryanair stated that he would provide all the necessary documents for the investigation and the lawsuit against Lukashenka's regime if needed.
– Also in Dublin, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed the dismantling of civil society organizations with Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. Lawlor stated that she was prepared to raise the issue of Belarus at the next session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, as the situation required an immediate response from the international community.
