Participants from all over the world join the international action "Trade Union Activity - Not Extremism! Representatives of workers from different countries demand the release of trade union political prisoners in Belarus and against the systematic repression by the Lukashenko government.
On Thursday, June 29, activists from Brazil handed over a petition to the embassy of Belarus in this country, demanding the release of trade union leaders imprisoned in Belarus. The signatures were given by professors of the local university and activists of the Socialist Revolution, part of the International Socialist League (LIS).
More than 6,500 activists from around the world have already joined the campaign. Actions have taken place in Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, the U.S., Germany and Italy. Trade union activists from other countries have also expressed their intention to join the campaign in the near future. They strive to attract international public attention to the situation in Belarus and do everything possible to stop political persecution.
The last years of Lukashenko's rule in Belarus are marked by systematic repressions against dissent and manifestations of any form of activism.
The situation in Belarus has become deplorable since the beginning of Russia's military aggression in Ukraine. Lukashenko's authorities persecute anyone who speaks out against the war or criticizes their actions. As a result, 1502 political prisoners, including 44 trade union activists and leaders of democratic trade unions, are in Belarusian prisons and camps.
The international public and trade unions around the world are reacting to these acts of lawlessness. In early June, the International Labor Conference adopted a resolution condemning the actions of the Belarusian government. Members of the International Labor Organization (ILO) urge all governments to reconsider their relations with the Lukashenko regime and take measures to stop human rights abuses.