French foreign ministry concerned over police crackdowns on Minsk opposition protests 11:18, 27/10/2004
The French foreign ministry has expressed “deep concern” over “violent police crackdowns” on “peaceful demonstrations” that were held in central Minsk for eight consecutive days since October 18 in protest against the officially announced results of the October 13-17 national referendum and parliamentary elections.
“The demonstrations followed the parliamentary elections that failed to provide an opportunity for the Belarusians to express their will freely,” says the French ministry in a statement.
The ministry condemns “measures taken by the Belarusian authorities against opposition leaders,” such as the police beating of Anatoly Lebedko, leader of the United Civic Party, and the arrests of Nikolai Statkevich, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party “Narodnaya Hramada,” and members of an opposition youth movement.
It stressed that Belarus’ parliamentary elections failed to meet democratic standards according to the preliminary findings of the observers of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
“France together with other European Union member countries and in cooperation with the international community is ready to consider steps toward strengthening civil society in Belarus and ensuring democracy and the rule of law in the country,” the statement says.
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