Hunt for students and academics in Belarus

Hunt for students and academics in Belarus

Belarusian students who protest against President Lukashenko’s regime are being turned away from their studies, persecuted or imprisoned. That is what human rights organization Amnesty International is warning about. Figures from the independent Belarusian Students’ Association show that at least 480 students have already been arrested this academic year. More than 150 students have already been expelled by their universities.

Criminal cases are pending against dozens of students, and at least five students have received prison sentences ranging from one and a half to four years. A lecturer at the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics is being held in a detention center.

 

Solidarity

 

Amnesty is calling on student unions and student leaders in other countries to show solidarity by asking their own governments to put pressure on the Lukashenko government. The human rights organization has also launched a campaign on social media with the hashtag #StandWithBelarus.

Just this weekend, Belarusian authorities forced a European Ryanair plane to land in Minsk so they could arrest an activist journalist. According to the Dutch outgoing Prime Minister Rutte, European government leaders will declare (link in Dutch) sanctions against the country. (HOP, Evelien Flink)