Statement by the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic in Exile

The Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic (the BNR Rada) expresses its concern regarding the brutal repressions against opposition activists, political and human rights organisations, as well as journalists of the independent mass media, which have been unfolding in Belarus in the wake of the so-called presidential “elections” of 19 December, and which are currently gaining in scale. These repressions have involved not only the activists themselves but also their family members.

The BNR Rada calls upon the governments of the European Union member states, the United States of America, Canada, Ukraine, Turkey and Egypt to ban all the KGB and other Belarusian security services personnel, the personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system, the officials of courts and the state prosecution service of the Republic of Belarus, as well as all of the said individuals’ close relatives, from entering those countries. The BNR Rada regards the said organisations as constituting the machine of repressions used against the democratic opposition activists.