November 23, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly discussed ways to support Lithuania’s appeal to the International Criminal Court to punish Alaksandar Łukašenka and his officials for human rights abuses.
Politicians met yesterday in Canada’s Halifax, hosting the Halifax International Security Forum from November 22 to 24, Cichanoŭskaja’s aide Franak Viačorka told Pozirk.
Strategic consultations between Ottawa and Belarusian pro-democracy forces scheduled for November 26 will focus on accountability for Łukašenka and his officials, the promotion of democracy and the fight against disinformation, he noted.
The opposition leader also thanked Canada for allocating about $700,000 in support for Belarusian independent media since April, Viačorka said, adding that continued funding was confirmed for the next year.
Following the disputed 2020 presidential election, Canada, along with the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States, introduced several sanction packages against Belarusian authorities. They range from restrictions on the Belarusian potash giant Białaruśkalij to the entry ban for Alaksandar Łukašenka’s youngest son Mikałaj.
