IDU Statement on Belarus
The IDU demands the unconditional release of all political prisoners including UCP Leader Mikalai Kazlou and BPF Leader Ryhor Kastusiou
There is a new wave of repression in Belarus directed against the opposition party landscape. Mikalai Kazlou, the leader of the United Civic Party (UCP) and longstanding member of the IDU, was recently arrested along with other members of the party leadership.
The repeated aggressive action against the democratic opposition in Belarus underlines Lukashenko regime’s fear of its own people, who want to live in peace and freedom and who condemn Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine.
After rigging the elections in 2020 and suppressing the peaceful protests, the illegitimate regime of Lukashenko collaborated and allowed Russian military to move through Belarusian territory and abuse Belarusian air space to attack Ukrainian cities – indiscriminately, without regard for international law, deliberately targeting civilian housing and infrastructure.
The IDU therefore demands the unconditional release of all political prisoners and demands further that all repression by the regime against the democratic opposition cease. In addition to UCP Leader Mikalai Kazlou, this concerns, in particular, Ryhor Kastusiou, chairman of the IDU member party Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), who has been imprisoned since April 2021 and whose health situation has deteriorated dramatically.
The IDU condemns the attacks on Ukraine and demands that Belarusian land and airspace are not used by Russian armed forces for deployment and attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The IDU insists that Belarusian officials and representatives of the Belarusian military involved in the Russian attack on Ukraine be held to account, including Lukashenko who is complicit in this war.
The IDU supports the demands of Belarus democratic forces led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya for free and fair elections under international supervision.