The political prisoner Vatslau Areshka has gone almost completely blind yet he is unable to gain disability status in prison

Gennady Fedynich (Hennadz Fiadynich in Belarusian transliteration), long-time leader of the independent Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP), was one of many Belarusian trade unionists imprisoned in the crackdown on free unions. Last week, he was unexpectedly taken from prison in Babruisk, transported under guard to Minsk, and then deported to Lithuania along with other 52 political prisoners.

On 17 September, an online meeting was held between recently released former political prisoner and leader of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), Aliaksandr Yarashuk, and ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo together with Maria Helena André, Director of the ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV). The meeting was also attended by Sergeyus Glovackas, Desk Officer for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at ACTRAV.

On 16 September in Vilnius, a three-hour meeting took place between recently released Belarusian trade union leaders — Aliaksandr Yarashuk, Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and Hennadz Fiadynich, former head of the Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP) — and the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Luc Triangle.

In their interview to “Salidarnast”, the two union leaders speak of what was most difficult for them in jail, why other prisoners would address by their patronymics, how they managed to survive punitive isolation cells, and why the Belarusian authorities have taken their passports away.

On 11 September, 52 political prisoners were released in Belarus. Among them were two key figures of the independent trade union movement: Aliaksandr Yarashuk, Chair of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and Hennadz Fiadynich, former head of the Belarusian Radio and Electronics Industry Workers’ Union (REP).

The Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) submits a report to the UN Human Rights Council for the 50th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The document speaks of the complete liquidation of independent trade unions in Belarus, repression against more than 70 trade union activists and the systematic use of forced labour.

On the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, representatives of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) met with the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gilbert Houngbo. The meeting was attended by Maksim Pazniakou, Acting President of the BKDP, and Siarhei Antusevich, Deputy President, who recently regained his freedom and left Belarus after serving a politically motivated sentence.

The regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka continues to weaponize trials in absentia against representatives of the independent trade union movement. A recent case involving Leanid Sudalenka, a legal advisor to Salidarnast e.V., highlights the politically motivated nature of such prosecutions.

…At the end of September 2020, the white-red-white flag appeared flying at the top of the TV tower in Hrodna. Of course, the authorities

Vice-President of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) Siarhei Antusevich has shared with “Salidarnast” a story of livi

Political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk has been released. This was announced by her husband Andrei Sharenda on his Facebook page.