{"id":209207,"date":"2026-10-27T19:56:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/209207\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T19:56:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:56:54","slug":"opposition-delegation-to-coe-regional-body-sounds-alarm-over-transnational-repression","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/209207\/","title":{"rendered":"Opposition delegation to CoE regional body sounds alarm over transnational repression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 27, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>The Belarusian people are facing transnational repression on the largest scale among all nations of Europe, with the United Nations estimating that more than 600,000 people have been forced to leave Belarus, Iryna Cha\u0142opica, head of the opposition Coordination Council\u2019s delegation, said in Strasbourg on Tuesday during the ongoing session of the Council of Europe\u2019s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cha\u0142opica said that Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime had launched a coordinated campaign of intimidation against exiled Belarusians, including members of the Coordination Council, in recent weeks, threatening to strip them of citizenship, in violation of the Belarusian constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cha\u0142opica said that tens of thousands of Belarusians in Europe lack valid passports because of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s 2023 edict banning Belarusian consulates from issuing or renewing documents. She questioned how the Council of Europe would respond to the possible annulment of Belarusians\u2019 citizenship for exiled activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset replied that he needs to consult colleagues before giving a detailed answer, and stressed that the Council of Europe works closely with Belarusian pro-democracy forces through a bilateral contact group and has opened an information point for Belarusians in Vilnius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposition forces have repeatedly pointed out that impunity has emboldened \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime to target not only its opponents inside Belarus but also exiled dissidents, designating them as \u201cextremists\u201d and \u201cterrorists,\u201d intimidating their relatives in Belarus, convicting them in absentia, depriving them of valid documents, issuing international arrest warrants and harassing them online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is the pan-European political body representing 46 CoE member states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"