Around 25 people came together to support the Belarussian opposition and to bring a petition to the ambassador of Belarus. In this petition the Belarussian government is called to respect the human rights (freedom of speech, religion, press etc.), the freedom of Belarussians, to reform the system of laws to a fair system according to international standard and to organise free and fair elections.

Pictures can be found here. Watch also our video (in Dutch).

To H.E. Mrs. Elena Gritsenko,

ambassador of the Republic of Belarus in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

As representative of the government of Belarus, the undersigned Dutch organizations ask your attention for the following issues:

Reports of the continued violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Belarus' citizens by the regime of President Lukashenka are both frequent and alarming.

Lukashenka's government represses all groups within civil society who are actively calling on their government to better protect and respect their basic democratic rights. Organizations are fined or forcibly closed and their leaders are imprisoned. Even now, during an agreement with the European Union, there are no big changes.

In light of the worsening human rights situation in Belarus we call upon the government of Belarus to:

• Restore democratic values in Belarus,
• Organize free and fair elections,
• To reform the system of law's to a fair system according to the international standard,
• To respect the freedom of speech,
• To respect the freedom of the press,
• To respect the freedom of assembly and association, and
• To respect religious freedom.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Respectfully,

PerspectieF, Youth of the Christian Union party
ChristenUnie
Jonge socialisten (Young Socialists)
Jonge Democraten (Young Democrats)
Dwars (youth organization of GroenLinks)
FNV Mondiaal (FNV trade union)
Jubilee Campaign
ICCO (Interchurch Organisation for Development Co-operation)
Civil Initiative "We Remember"
"Mission to Minsk"