Cichanoŭkaja discusses efforts to secure release of Belarusian political prisoners at OSCE meeting

December 2, BPN. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has discussed the plight of political prisoners with Helga Schmid, secretary general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), her foreign policy adviser Franak Viačorka told BPN.

The politician discussed efforts to secure the release of Belarus’ political prisoners, including prominent opposition activist Maryja Kaleśnikava and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aleś Bialacki.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the December 1-2 OSCE foreign ministers meeting in Łódź, Poland.

Cichanoŭskaja also talked to Roberto Montella, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly secretary general, and had brief meetings with the foreign ministers of Lithuania, Estonia, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, and “some other countries that did not want to publicize the meeting,” Viačorka said.

She had talks with the Moldovan foreign minister Nicu Popescu ahead of her planned trip to Moldova in the first half of 2023.

Cichanoŭskaja also “crossed paths” with Andrej Dapkiunas, Belarus’ envoy to the OSCE who represented the authorities, Viačorka noted.

The opposition leader spoke at a panel on Belarus organized by Estonia and the United States with the support of 37 OSCE member countries. She urged the OSCE to seek access to political prisoners, demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus, and invoke the Moscow Mechanism to investigate Alaksandr Łukašenka’s regime.

Michael Carpenter, the US envoy to the OSCE, said that the proposed steps would be considered and implemented, Viačorka added.