To: Alexander Lukashenko
Republic of Belarus
FAX: +375 172 26 06 10

Mr. Vorontsov
Justice Ministry
FAX: +375 172 20 96 84

September 4, 2001

Dear Mr. Lukashenko,

The International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental human rights organization with consultative status at ECOSOC UN, is writing to express serious concern about the two written warnings recently delivered to Viasna [Spring], a prominent Belarusian human rights NGO.

On August 27 and 28, 2001, the Justice Ministry issued two written warnings to Viasna. According to a subsequent press-release by the Ministry, the latter is considering a possibility of closing the NGO. The Justice Ministry has accused Viasna of printing its bulletin "Right to Freedom" in excess of the allowed 299 copies and of failing to submit to the Ministry lists of the election monitors that Viasna nominated.

Considering the increasingly active role Viasna has played in the "Independent Monitoring" campaign, which is designed to assure that the upcoming presidential elections are free and fair, the League believes that these Justice Ministry warnings repeat a pattern of harassment of this and other human rights groups in Belarus in connection with the elections. We call upon you and your government to immediately cease the harassment of Viasna and other NGOs in keeping with your international commitments and your stated intention of legalizing NGOs.

Belarus can never be considered part of the democratic European community until the government takes appropriate measures to assure that the crucial freedoms of speech and assembly are protected and upheld.

Thank you for your attention. We await your response.

Sincerely,

Catherine Fitzpatrick
Executive Director