September 3-5, 2021
In cooperation with our sister party LDK in Kosovo the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation invited members of the youth organization to participate in the conference Principles for a Free Society.
During a weekend we have exchanged ideas about Freedom, Toleration, Human Rights, Democracy and also about Kosovo’s European integration.
The members of the youth organization had also the opportunity to expand their network inside their party.
31-year- old Alyaksey Sanchuk joined a street drummer group during mass protests after election. He also went for several rehearsals to learn drum rhythm but eventually turned out as supporter without playing. During a rehearsal Alyaksey Sanchuk together with the whole group got arrested and detained because of hanging around with them. He even got tortured.
All group was taken to police station for interrogation. Most of them got detained for a day and then released. Unfortunately, Alyaksey Sanchuk got a 15-day sentence and no release. Instead – he was judged six years in prison and got an outspoken threat on his family. Then support turned the other way around with a flash mob on social media on his behalf, saying “I was learning a rhythm.”
Youth Organization Solidarna Molod of our sister party European Solidarity celebrating 30th Anniversary National Day of Independence in Kyiv, August 24th 2021. Hjalmarson Foundation take part in their celebration of independence and for a free society.
For centuries Ukraine struggled for their independence. Through bloodshed in fighting, Holodomor with millions of Ukrainian citizens dying , Stalin’s decision of planned economy and repressions for several years. On August 24 1991 Ukraine finally won their independence.
The words of Ukrainian citizens today are that they still value their freedom highly. The sweetness of victory in 1991 is still in remembrance, same as the people who gave their lives through the years for independence, freedom of speech and democracy.
On August 18th Belarusian police detained several employees of the agency that has distributed news on the continuously vibrant opposition movement after the crucial election one year ago. BelaPAN’s websites can no longer be reached after police searched both agency’s office and homes.
Director and chief editor Iryna Leushyna, accountant katsyaryna Boyeva and former director Dzmitry Navazhylau were detained and placed in prison suspected for acting against public orders when providing news about opposition activities in Belarus. The website Naviny.by presents news about another BelaPAN journalist, Alyaksandr Zaytsau, that police confiscated his cell phone, a PC hard disc, a tablet computer, documents and several business cards.
Today the chairs of the European parliament committees on foreign affairs and development, David McAllister and Tomas Tobé, issued the following statement on the recent developments in Afghanistan:
“We deeply deplore the recent political, military and moral calamity in Afghanistan and express our deep concerns about the situation. The hasty withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the country without a condition base and the shocking collapse of Afghan institutions and its security forces allowed the Taliban to take over the country in an unexpectedly rapid way.
At this critical and dramatic moment, humanitarian action prevails over everything. We urgently call upon all parties to secure and facilitate the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans who wish to leave the country. The departure through Kabul airport must be assured by all means. We bear a moral responsibility for those who have worked for the EU’s entities, for NATO partners and other international and civil society organisations. We urge those in positions of power and authority in Afghanistan to abstain from violence and respect basic human rights and international humanitarian law, and the achievements of the last 20 years in the fields of women’s and girls’ rights, the right of education, health care and social and economic development.
The EU, together with other partners, needs to tackle urgently the humanitarian crisis in the country and the region, caused by conflict, displacement, food insecurity, droughts and the COVID-19 pandemic. It is in our own interest to prevent another migration crisis. The EU needs to develop a new Strategy for Afghanistan and the region taking into account the new circumstances, considering that Russia and China will quickly try to fill the political vacuum. In particular, Pakistan, Iran and India should be urged to play a constructive role in Afghanistan.”
The secretary general of the EPP, Antonio López-Istúriz MEP, has issued a statement on the ongoing developments in Afghanistan, following the Taliban overtake in the nation’s capital Kabul.
“The unfolding events in Afghanistan with the advancement of the taliban are worrisome. I’m particularly concerned for the women of the country. An international solution is required. The EU and UN play a key role in finding a viable and peaceful solution for Afghanistan’s future”, Mr. López-Istúriz said.
The Russian authorities are zealously to follow the recently assumed extremist-law that judge out citizens supporting a so called “extremist organizations” – such as the Anti-corruption organization jailed opposition-leader Aleksei Navalny started.
In the case of Kira Yarmysh, the spokeswomen of named organization, Moscow court has sentenced her to “restricted freedom” for 18 months. The court sentence is a parole-like sentence based on allegedly calling for the violation of anti-pandemic restrictions.
Former team member of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, Violetta Grudina, launched a hunger strike while being forcibly placed in COVID-19 treatment facility in Mid-July and after knowledge that her documents for candidacy ‘politically’ disappeared.
Her candidacy documents were handed to the hospital’s chief physician to pass registration documents on to Grudina’s legal representative so that he could register Violetta Grudina’s candidacy to Murmansk Election officials. The registration’s deadline were August 9.
After treatment Grudina found out that the chief physician of the Hospital, Arkady Amozov, was registered candidate of the ruling United Russia party in Election officials. It got obvious that the sudden loss of her documents had a political meaning.
After obstacles with the Murmansk court decision forcing her to hospitalization and a hunger strike, Violetta Grudina finally got a letter August 4 from Election officials confirming that her papers were received.
One year after Belarus Election day the West world declared tighter sanctions against the regime of Aleksander Lukashenko. The United States, Britain and Canada announced new trade and financial sanctions on Belarus and made their own declarations.
The United States Biden administration pointed out the Belarusian potash producer Belaruskali as target for sanctions, who is a major source of income for Lukashenko regime. Prominent businesspeople who support the Lukashenko regime and 15 other companies which are affiliated with them got blacklisted.
Britain and Canada announced sanctions likewise and added the prohibition on purchase of transferable securities and money-market instruments issued by the Belarusian state and its state-owned banks.
For a year now, the worldnews has been filled of witnesses from the opposition that many crimes against civil rights has been shown in Belarus by Lukashenko regime. More than 32,000 people have been detained, thousands beaten by police on the streets and in detention, some with torture alleged.
The Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya fled the country after election day to Lithuania. The opposition continues their work for civil rights and free expression through offices opened in several European cities.
European Council President Charles Micheal tweeted; “One year ago today, the right to freely elect their leader was taken away from the people of Belarus. EU stands firmly with you and will continue to do so. The legitimate call for a democratic future and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights must finally be heeded.”
