The organisational committee, which coordinates negotiation efforts, is composed of prominent human rights defenders and third sector representatives; amongst them Ales Bialiatski (HR Centre Spring), Ina Kulei (Solidarity Committee), Aleh Hulak (Belarusian Helsinki Committee), Tatsyana Raviaka (Belarusian HRH) and others.
State officials and law enforcement officers were contacted for ways to discuss the current situation in Belarus. In particular the minister of interior, the attorney general, a chair of the parliamentary commission on human rights and mass media, the KGB director, and several other high ranking officials were informed and invited for an open discussion. HR defenders also asked the OSCE Minsk office, diplomats and the European Commission mission in Minsk to follow the dialogue.
“The main goal of these negotiations is to find ways for law enforcement to act adequately during mass demonstration,” the statement stressed. Also it mentioned a necessity to exchange opinions about “a harsh treatment of mass rallies participants on 8, 14 and 16 February and also the situation around an unofficial Union of Poles in Belarus.”
Human rights defenders invited the official for a meeting in Europe Hotel (Minsk). However, the hotel management cancelled a conference room reservation in a last minute. Nevertheless, at 11 a.m., appointed time, the organisational committee for negotiations, all members present, gathered at the hotel entrance. No one of the invited officials showed up. Despite the offset HR defenders were sure to continue negotiation efforts.
