Belarus - Trial of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Jan. 17, 2023)

Published: Tue Jan 17 2023


Today's start in Minsk of the trial in absentia of Belarusian democratic opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and several opposition figures in exile is yet another illustration of the Lukashenko regime's systematic crackdown against the opposition.

France reaffirms its support for the Belarusian people's peaceful democratic aspirations and denounces the government's policy of repression. We condemn the Belarusian authorities' relentless crackdown against the opposition candidates in the 2020 elections. We renew our call for a sincere, transparent dialogue between the Belarusian authorities and democratic forces, as well as the release of all political prisoners.

During her meeting with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on October 6 of last year, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna reiterated France's support for the Belarusian opposition's struggle for democracy and peace more than two years after Belarus's fraudulent election on August 9, 2020.

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