International Labor Organization committee denounces violence in Belarus

June 13, BPN. The International Labor Organization’s (ILO) committee on the application of standards has denounced the extreme use of violence to suppress peaceful protests in Belarus.

It has also expressed regret over the escalation of measures to suppress trade union activity and the systemic destruction of independent unions, the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions reported.

The ILO committee called on the Belarusian government to immediately release and exonerate all union leaders and members arrested for participating in peaceful meetings or exercising their civil liberties.

It also called for the respect of workers’ rights to freedom of association to be restored.

It noted that it was deeply concerned that the government has not taken action to implement most of the ILO commission of inquiry’s recommendations outlined in a 2004 report.