Belarus Harassment of NGO Partnership

The United States condemns the recent arrest, detention and conviction of Belarusian citizens of the Partnership organization who were peacefully and legally meeting in Minsk. Partnership is a Belarusian non-governmental organization devoted to training Belarusians to be election observers and to educate Belarusians on their voter rights under Belarusian law. This harassment of Partnership and other Belarusian NGO's is the latest of many examples raising doubts about the intentions of the Belarusian authorities to conduct free, fair and open presidential elections next year. The United States calls on Belarusian law and court authorities to respect the democratic rights of Belarusians in accordance with the Belarusian Constitution and Belarus' international commitments as a member of the OSCE. Belarus should take these and other essential steps to hold free and fair Presidential elections in 2006 and restore democracy in the country.