Justice ministry seeks to shut down another minority association

March 4, Pozirk. On March 20, the Minsk Regional Court will hear the justice ministry’s liquidation suit against Dostluk (Friendship), an association promoting Belarusian-Turkmen ties, the electronic court schedule says.

The justice ministry has not disclosed the reasons for filing the suit.

Founded in 2010, Dostluk focused on promoting cultural exchange between Belarus and Turkmenistan, engaged in charitable and educational activities and assisted ethnic Turkmen and Belarusians interested in Turkmenistan’s culture.

A month ago, Minsk authorities moved to close down Mamuli (Fatherland), a Georgian cultural and educational association. Mamuli.by had posted news about the 2020 postelection protests in Belarus and demonstrations of solidarity with the Belarusian political opposition in Georgia, but took down those posts, a source told Pozirk.

Earlier, the justice ministry secured court rulings for closing down several national minorities’ associations, including Armenian, Lithuanian and Syrian ones.