Due to the outlined facts and current circumstances, any public or private business enterprise which currently operates in Belarus or which has business ties with Belarusian companies and organisations is risking to be involved (directly or indirectly) in violations of human rights and to be in breach of international laws and its internal policies and codes of conduct, which will result in serious reputational and financial harm to any such business. // 05.11.2020
We consider it important to reform the Constitution, including to ensure a real separation of powers, to create additional measures to protect human rights, but an effective dialogue to discuss proposals to change the Constitution is only possible after the situation in the country de-escalates: the authorities must stop repression and persecution of dissidents, refrain from detaining peaceful demonstrators, release political prisoners, and initiate criminal proceedings against all those involved in torture. // 23.10.2020
We assess the persecution of Siarhei Bryl, Andrei Papou, Pavel Niadbaila, Siarhei Liazhenka, Dzmitry Ivashkou, Yury Bialko, Dzmitry Lastouski, Yaraslau Zbarouski, and Dzianis Boltuts as politically motivated, as it is solely connected with the exercise of their freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. We, therefore, consider them to be political prisoners. // 21.10.2020