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Situation in Belarus discussed during human rights congress in Poland

The situation in Belarus was discussed during the Third European Congress of Human Rights that took place in Katowice, Poland, on December 6.

"Participants at the congress discussed the situation in Belarus from different angles," Natallya Radzina, chief editor of popular opposition news site charter97.org, told BelaPAN. "We spoke about violations of human rights in general and of freedom of speech in particular. We noted that pressure on Belarusian journalists was increasing. Journalists were previously charged with only one criminal offense, defamation of the president. Now they are accused of participation in 'mass disorder,' complicity in the 'illegal crossing' into Belarusian airspace, and high treason."

The congress had been organized by the office of Marek Migalski, a Polish member of the European Parliament, and a Polish association called Projekt Slask.

Participating in the event were Ms. Radzina; Zhanna Litvina, chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists; Agnieszka Romaszewska, director general of Belsat TV, a Polish-based Belarusian-language satellite channel; Dzmitry Novikaw, director general of European Radio for Belarus; Stanislaw Shushkevich, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada; Vyachaslaw Dziyanaw, a leader of the "Revolution Through Social Networks" movement; and prominent young opposition activist Franak Vyachorka. //BelaPAN