On the educational meeting in Minsk August 29 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has invited representatives of the European Union, Russia and the Belarusian opposition to discuss the situation in the country, the “round table”. According to the President, “our strength lies in unity”, and the problems of Belarus “should be resolved not in the squares and on the barricades, but through dialogue, a normal human conversation.”
Instead of “trampling and shouting on the squares” Lukashenko suggested to get round the table, “to look into each others eyes and really assess each other’s actions and think about what can be done to effectively improve the situation in the country.”
“If you want to struggle and fight – you are welcome: fight in an open discussion, prove your rightness, defend your point of view. But not through riots and not in the arms. Such actions will be stopped immediately, as they were stopped recently in the countries-“pillars of democracy”- warned the president of Belarus (left).
“I suggested to the European Union, and would like to suggest to Russia, other European and international institutions too, to send their representatives to participate in this round table. Let them as well take a look, what is one worth, which ideas one puts forward and what goal sets for oneself, “- said Aliaksandr Lukashenka and once again called the sanctions and the pressure unproductive steps.
No dialogue unless political prisoners are released 
In connection to the start of a discussion relating to the conditions, format and participants of the negotiation process and requirements that may be imposed on its agenda, Human Rights Centre “Viasna” publicly stated its position in a special declaration.
“Viasna” believes that “it is impossible to start negotiations without an immediate and unconditional release and full rehabilitation of all political prisoners, including those sentenced to personal restraint, probation or a suspended sentence.”
The Human Rights Center Viasna considers these demands not as a condition for a dialogue, but a condition for its beginning, without the implementation of which it is simply impossible.”
“The culmination of the repression were the events of 19 December 2010, when more than 700 people were arrested for participation in a peaceful protest action. 43 persons, including 6 presidential candidates, were charged with organizing and participating in a “riot” or “organization of group activities that breach public order”, 13 more people were suspects, including one candidate for president. The fundamental process rights of the detainees, including the right to legal defense, were violated. Some of them stated about the use of torture towards them.
The authorities exercised a concerted pressure on the lawyers who defended figurants of politically motivated criminal cases, as a result of which a number of well-known Belarusian lawyers were deprived of their licenses and expelled from the bar associations.
At present, 20 political prisoners are kept in prison, including three presidential candidates – Andrei Sannikau , Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Uss, as well as the head of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski; 11 are people serving criminal sentences not involving imprisonment, including two candidates for president – Uladzimir Nialikliayeu and Vital Rymasheuski.” – says the statement.
The statement authors insist that the conditions for a possible dialogue must be issues of systemic changes that would liquidate the possibility of holding new political hostages, namely reaching an agreement on a number of systemic and necessary reforms in the area of fundamental civil rights and liberties: freedom of peaceful assembly and association, freedom of speech and expression, the electoral law.
“Only real steps for democratization of the country and holding free elections are evidence of systemic, irreversible changes ensuring that the country will not have any political prisoners in the future.” – says the statement of HRC “Viasna”
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