On 20 April, the fourth anniversary of his arrest, Aliaksandr Yarashuk, leader of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), took part in a meeting of the Executive Board of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB). During his visit to Austria, he thanked Austrian trade unionists for their support and stressed that international solidarity had been one of the factors that contributed to his release.

A major trade union forum was held in Rome to mark the 76th anniversary of the Italian Labour Union (UIL)—one of Italy’s three largest national trade union confederations. Maksim Pazniakou took part in the event on behalf of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP).

On 18 March, the International Day of Political Prisoners (also observed as a Day of Support and Solidarity with Political Prisoners), Bremen will host a solidarity action to draw attention to people worldwide who have been deprived of their liberty for political reasons.