TROIKA OF THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES ISSUED A STATEMENT ON DETENTION OF FORMER PRESIDENT OF BELARUS
Mongolia which assumed the Presidency of the Community of Democracies July 1 initiated the statement of the Troika of the Community of Democracies, condemning the detention of former Chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus Stanislau Shushkievich on July 2 at the border of Belarus when returning from the Community of Democracies' Ministerial Conference in Vilnius.
S.Shushkievich was among representatives of the Belarusian democracy activists who participated in the 2011 Geremek Award ceremony in honor of the democratic Belarusian opposition.
"The arrest of the former President of Belarus has once again brought to international attention the undemocratic methods exercised by Belarus, including violation of the fundamental liberty of free movement. The Community of Democracies through its Troika condemns the detention of President Shushkievich and appeals to the Government of Belarus to release the detained democracy activists and to refrain from further intimidation of democracy activists," - the statement reads.
The Troika of the Community of Democracies Community consists of Mongolia, Lithuania that ended its Presidency, and El Salvador, which will take over the Presidency in two years.
