With all international attention on Ukraine, the clampdown on independent trade unionsin neighbouring Belarus has gone largely unnoticed. On 19 April 2022, the authorities launched the biggest attack on their organisations so far: more than 20 trade unionists were arrested, including the heads of three independent unions, numerous deputy leaders, almost every representative of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) and other representatives of the independent trade union movement, while the offices of both the Free Metalworkers’ Union (SPM) and the BKDP were searched. Ten of our colleagues are currently in custody, including the BKDP president and his deputy, the leadership of the Radio and Electronic Industry Workers’ Union (REP), and representatives of the SPM.
They are accused of contravening article 342, paragraph 1 of the Belarusian criminal code: ‘Organisation of group activities that grossly violate public order and fail to comply with the lawful demands of the authorities or that lead to the disruption of transport, businesses, institutions or organisations, and active participation in such activities where no more serious crime is indicated’. Further charges were added during the committal hearing.
Although thesemeasures target specific individuals rather than entire organisations, the mass arrests have nonetheless succeeded in bringing the work of independent trade unions to a standstill. At the same...
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