European trade union leaders demanded the release of the Belarusian trade union activists

On March 10, in Brussels (Belgium), the Executive Committee of the All-European Regional Council of the ITUC (PERC ITUC ETUC) held a meeting to discuss the situation of workers' rights in Belarus.

Photo: twitter @etuc_ces (European trade unions)

Maksim Pazniakou, acting chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), spoke at the committee meeting. He told about the terror of Lukashenka's regime against workers and persecution for trade union activity in Belarus.

Also, members of the Executive Committee were told about the trials against dozens of trade union activists, who were sentenced to long prison terms.

For instance, Aliaksandr Yarashuk, leader of the BKDP, was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. The leader of the primary organization of the BNP at Hrodna Azot Andrei Khanevich was sentenced to 5 years in prison, while the leadership of the trade union REP was sentenced to 8 to 9 years in jail.

As a sign of solidarity with the imprisoned trade unionists, members of the Executive Committee of the VERS-ITUC held an action of solidarity and took photos with portraits and demands to release the Belarusian trade union leaders.