Brussels, 3 December 2009. In my capacity of a Chairman of the European Delegation for Relations with Belarus I would like to express my deep concern about the situation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party (BCD). In my last statement as of 17 April 2009 I had already communicated my disappointment about the denial of registration of the BCD. My concerns grow as regards the forthcoming decision on the registration of this party by the Belarusian Ministry of Justice that is foreseen for the next week.
I closely follow the situation of the civil society organizations and political parties in Belarus. To my knowledge the BCD held two Founding Conventions – 28 February and 31 October 2009. After both events the BCD submitted the documents required for the state registration of a political party to the Ministry of Justice with the required signatures and personal details of 1,050 founders. Mass repressions against the founders of the party started in both cases shortly after the documents were submitted - dismissals from the jobs, expels from the universities, phone calls threats to be either dismissed or deprived of their place of living, intimidations by the Belarusian KGB. After the second attempt to apply for registration the repressions on the BCD members were intensified in particular in Minsk, Brest, Grodna, Vitebsk, Babrujsk, Baranavichy, Bykhau, Kalinkavichy, Haradok. More than 40 people were contacted and pressed to abstain of their political activities; only 6 people decided to withdraw their signatures as BCD founders because of the pressure by the authorities.
In regards to the above mentioned and with a special reference to the latest GAERC decision to give the Belarusian government another 12 months I re-call on the Belarusian authorities to keep up to their declarations and to introduce the actual reforms in the areas highlighted in several EU documents.
Herewith I declare my solidarity with the Christian Democrats of Belarus and call upon the Belarusian state authorities to ensure the right of freedom of assembly in Belarus and in this context to allow the registration of the BCD. I underline that the article 193.1 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, which provides for criminal charges being imposed on those who are involved in the activities of unregistered associations, religious organisations or funds, violates the basic human rights and needs to be abolished.
I closely follow the situation of the civil society organizations and political parties in Belarus. To my knowledge the BCD held two Founding Conventions – 28 February and 31 October 2009. After both events the BCD submitted the documents required for the state registration of a political party to the Ministry of Justice with the required signatures and personal details of 1,050 founders. Mass repressions against the founders of the party started in both cases shortly after the documents were submitted - dismissals from the jobs, expels from the universities, phone calls threats to be either dismissed or deprived of their place of living, intimidations by the Belarusian KGB. After the second attempt to apply for registration the repressions on the BCD members were intensified in particular in Minsk, Brest, Grodna, Vitebsk, Babrujsk, Baranavichy, Bykhau, Kalinkavichy, Haradok. More than 40 people were contacted and pressed to abstain of their political activities; only 6 people decided to withdraw their signatures as BCD founders because of the pressure by the authorities.
In regards to the above mentioned and with a special reference to the latest GAERC decision to give the Belarusian government another 12 months I re-call on the Belarusian authorities to keep up to their declarations and to introduce the actual reforms in the areas highlighted in several EU documents.
Herewith I declare my solidarity with the Christian Democrats of Belarus and call upon the Belarusian state authorities to ensure the right of freedom of assembly in Belarus and in this context to allow the registration of the BCD. I underline that the article 193.1 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, which provides for criminal charges being imposed on those who are involved in the activities of unregistered associations, religious organisations or funds, violates the basic human rights and needs to be abolished.