Everything is in our hands :: Charter'97 :: News

Human right service of Zubr movement acts since the beginning of 2001. During this time it registered more than 2000 acts of repressions against activists of the movement. Among the repressions are detentions, fines, beating, administrative arrests. Task of Zubr Human right service is to react immediately on repressions and minimize consequences of repressions in each case. All the facts are included to monitoring. The monitorig also contains data about people who committed repressions. European tour for Human rights organized by Amnesty International was over several weeks ago. Human right defenders from Belarus, Turkmenistan and Chechnya took part in it. Belarus was represented by Human right officer of Zubr Iryna Toustsik. Today she is answering questions of Zubr press-service:

-Iryna, there are Human rights organizations in Belarus. They act more or less effectively. They provide qualified legal assistance, consultations. Why does Zubr need separate Human right office?

-Yes, we have Human rights organizations that are doing very important job. We closely cooperate with “Viasna” and “Belarusian Helsinki Committee”. But there are thousands of young people in Zubr. And arrest or detention can happen every minute. In this situation Human right service of Zubr is a kind of ambulance for those activists who are in need. The detained people are often beaten, made to sign protocols or recruited by KGB. Every minute is important in this situation.

-Tell us about European tour for Human rights organized by Amnesty International. What meetings did you have?

Trips to seven European countries were held during this event. We took part in various press-conferences, meetings with state and public figures of Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Italy, Germany, Ukraine and Russia. We were telling about situation with Human rights in our countries, about our personal experience. We had several interviews in Russian and Ukrainian media. Interest to Belarus is really strong in post-Soviet countries.

-What about Central and Eastern Europe? Do they still remember times of Communist totalitarianism?

-Citizens of Poland and Slovakia remember times of communist dictatorship and their struggle against it. That is why they express solidarity with Belarusians in our struggle for ideals of Freedom and Democracy. Activists of Polish branch of Amnesty International organized press-conferences in Warsaw and Lublin, meetings with students. We had visit to ODIHR OSCE office in Warsaw. I also had interesting meeting with buddhist monk Terasavu Dzunsey. He was pleased to learn about action of solidarity with Tibet that was carried out by Zubr in 2001. He also wished us to become free from dictatorship as soon as possible.

-Sometimes we have an impression that western Governments are far from understanding Belarusian reality…

-That is the reason why such trips are very important to inform Western society about situation in Belarus. Meetings with students and professors of Bonn, Leipzig and Mainze were carried out during visit to Germany. We had multiple public meetings in Italy. Netherlands have always been adherent to principles of Human rights protection all over the world. And actions of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners became traditional here. I was invited to Ministry of foreign affairs and I had meeting with chief of Ukraine and Belarus board Daniel M. Vinkeles Melchers and head of department for Eastern Europe and central Asia Thymen A. Kouwenaar M Se. Media payed attention to our visit in this countries too. We had interview on local television, on Deutsche Welle, on one of the biggest radio stations of Netherlands.

-Are Zubr and Amnesty International planning some other joint events?

-Amnesty International is a partner of Zubr for several years already. Activists of this Human right organization carried out dozens of actions of solidarity with Zubr and with Belarusian opposition. And I am sure that our cooperation will continue. I want to thank Amnesty International for invitation to the European tour for Human rights. I saw great interest to our country from Europeans, from state and public figures. I felt support of our struggle. Today they associate Belarus with the last dictatorship in Europe. But we can change it really soon.