Prosecutor general asks court to close all remaining independent trade unions in Belarus

June 10, BPN. The Prosecutor General’s Office has filed a suit with the Supreme Court to shut down all independent trade unions in Belarus, Anžalika Kurčak, spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s Office, said in a statement.

According to her, activities of some trade unions have been involved in politics since 2020, while their leaders and members participated in “destructive activities and unsanctioned mass events, and distributed extremist content,” which led to administrative and criminal cases.

Prosecutor General’s Office wants the court to close down the Belarusian Free Trade Union, the Free Union of Steel Industry Workers, the Belarusian Independent Trade Union, the Belarusian Trade Union of Electronic Industry Workers as well as their umbrella organization, the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.

On April 11, the authorities declared the electronic union an extremist group. The independent union’s cell at Hrodna Azot nitrogen fertilizer plant was labeled extremist group on May 11.

A wave of arrests of independent trade union activists swept across Belarus on April 18 and 19.

Human rights defenders declared the arrested trade union leaders as political prisoners, including Alaksandr Jarašuk, Śarhiej Antusevič, Hienadź Fiadynič, Vacłaŭ Areška, Michaił Hromaŭ, Mirasłaŭ Sabčuk, Iryna But-Gusaim, Janina Malaš, Vital Čyčmaroŭ, and Vasil Bierasneŭ.