This campaign is now closed.
Please take a moment to visit our active campaigns page.
Belarus: Stop the violence - defend democracy and human rights
```` |
In partnership with BITU, BCDTU, the International Trade Union Confederation, the European Trade Union Confederation, IndustriALL Global Union, and the International Union of Foodworkers. |
Presidential elections were held in Belarus on August 9. They were once again blatantly falsified in favour of the long-serving ruler Lukashenko. This caused a storm of popular protest. The security forces responded with an unprecedented terror: mass arrests, beatings and torture of protesters. A wave of spontaneous work stoppages swept across the country. Workers started to form strike committees to prepare for a nationwide general strike in support of democratic change. The strikers demands include: recognise the results of the presidential elections as invalid, release all political prisoners and demonstrators, prevent the persecution of the strike participants and cancel the system of short term contracts. The administration and security services are putting tremendous pressure on the strikers, members of the strike committee and their families. Many are threatened with dismissal. Activists are being detained by security services. We must help stop the wave of violence.