The European Movement is concerned about the state of human rights and democratic freedoms in Belarus. The situation in that country has deteriorated and it is one of the few where Soviet-style authoritarianism still holds sway.

In a resolution the European Movement (International) condemned the new and massive wave of violations of human rights in Belarus and called for the establishment of freedom and democracy in that country.

The president of the European Movement in Belarus, Mikhail Marynich, has been imprisoned. Over 1,500 arbitrary arrests and the closure of 60 NGOs have been reported in the latest crackdown.

The European Movement International has called on Belarus to free all political prisoners and to adhere to all international human rights commitments. The movement called on the EU and the international community to take concrete steps to support the establishment of democracy and the rule of law in Belarus.

The Belarussian regime is afraid that democratic forces will soon overturn it as happened in Georgia and the Ukraine. The authorities are therefore applying surplus coercion and the erosion of the limited rights that had been gained in the past to try to stop the country from swerving towards democracy.

The regime wishes to destroy the political opposition before the presidential elections, which are due to take place in 2006.