Under the regime of Alexander Lukashenka, Europe's last dictatorship, the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Belarussian people are structurally offended. PerspectivE and the Christian human rights organisation Jubilee Campaign NL last March started political actions for Belarus.

In Belarus the totalitarian regime, that was typical for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, still exists today, in a country seen by many as the last dicatorship in Europe. Freedom of expression, organisation and religion are being suppressed by a government that does not embrace democratic principles.

The Belarussian government seems to want to suppress almost every sign of autonomous thought and action. As soon as people take to the streets to protest, there are in no time more riot police and militia in the square than there are protesters. The subway grinds to a halt, cellular phone traffic is disturbed, all to prevent more people from joining the protest. In many cases crowds are assaulted with excessive force, something which Jonathan van Tongeren witnessed, international-secretary of PerspectivE witnessed when he visited Minsk last January. Just a few days later some fifteen young Belarussian protesters were arrested, allegedly because of foull language, and sentenced to 15 days emprisonment.

Leaders and members of movements and organisations that call for freedom and revision of suppressive policies by the government are soon locked up after they have spoken out. Zmitser Dashkevich (26), one of the leaders of Young Front, was in february finally released after having sat out 16 months jail sentence for " organising and participating in an activity by an unregistered NGO". He was also fined some 550 euros, for refusing to tell the names of his Young Front friends.

Churches are also oppressed in Belarus. In 2005 tens of members of the New Life Church started a hunger strike when the local authorities threatened to level their 'unregistered' church building with bulldozers. The church has tried in vain for years to register their building. Ministers and other active church members are often confronted with fines, that are sometimes higher than the sum of several monthly salaries.

The 2002 law on Freedom of Conscience and Religous Organisations is a great source of evil in these matters: the law, which was of course adopted without any debate and without consultation of various religious groups, is in direct conflict with the constitution and international agreements signed by Belarus. The law stipulates that any religious activity by non-registered churches is per definition illegal.

To draw the attention of the Dutch public towards the situation in Belarus and to ask people to sign the petition, PerspectivE organises several movie nights at which the documentary ' A lesson of  Belorussion' by Dembinski will be shown and there will be some actions to draw media attention. Besides the public petition there is also a juridical petition by the European Center for Law and Justice, an international organisation of Christian lawyers.

Sign the petition! (in Dutch and English)

PerspectivE's Free Belarus page (in Dutch)

Jubilee Campaign NL (in Dutch and English)

European Center for Law and Justice (in English)