Australian Union Leader Demands Release of Vatslau Areshka
- Salidarnast Belarus
- 8 hours ago
- 1 min read
Michelle O’Neil, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), met with the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, during her visit to Australia. She shared news of the meeting on her Instagram page, describing Tsikhanouskaya as “an inspiring and fearless voice for a free and democratic Belarus.”
Michelle O’Neil emphasized that Australian trade unions stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus and the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, and oppose the authoritarian regime of Lukashenko. The ACTU condemned ongoing human rights violations, including the imprisonment of trade union activists and restrictions on civil and political freedoms.
“We call for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Belarusian trade unionist Vatslau Areshka, whose deteriorating eyesight now prevents him from performing even everyday tasks,” - O’Neil stated.
The Salidarnast Association reminds that more than a thousand political hostages remain in Belarusian prisons, including at least twenty trade union activists. International solidarity remains key to their release and to restoring trade union freedom in Belarus.
