Tillbaka Statement by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe concerning the reported liquidation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee

Secretary General Strasbourg 01 October 2021
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Statement by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe concerning the reported liquidation of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee

The Secretary General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has today made the following statement:

“I am very concerned by reports that the Supreme Court of Belarus has this week liquidated the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, one of the oldest NGOs defending human rights in the country and a part of the global Helsinki movement.

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee is a long-standing partner of the Council of Europe and has participated in our programmes, together with the Belarusian authorities, for many years. This co-operation has been highly beneficial for Belarus and its citizens.

“Active and independent civil society is crucial to building and maintaining a sustainable State based on human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

I call on the Belarusian authorities to make sure that the Belarusian Helsinki Committee can continue to work in all security, calm and with no hindrance.“