Accents of Europe

The great forgotten of Belarusian repression

Audio 7:30 p.m.

One of the Belarusian opposition figures Maria Kolesnikova, during her trial in Minsk, September 6, 2021. (Illustrative image) © AFP - RAMIL NASIBULIN

By: Frederique Lebel

2 mins

The war in Ukraine has pushed into the background the political crisis in the neighboring state of Belarus, a close ally of Russia.

Since the fraudulent re-election of dictator Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020, 1,200 political prisoners have languished in jails across the country.

These are figures from the human rights organization Viasna.

It is difficult in this context to mobilize the international community on their fate.

But activists, relatives testify against oblivion.

This is the case of Tatiana Khomitch, the sister of one of the biggest opponents of the regime, Maria Kolesnikova, sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Virginie Pironon met her in Paris.  

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Migrants without asylum in Lithuania 

And it is also a consequence of the intransigence of Belarusian power and its ability to destabilize Europe.

A year ago, the government in Minsk sent thousands of Syrian, Kurdish and African refugees to the Lithuanian border, whom it had specially brought in by plane.

In all, 4,400 people crossed into Lithuania.

Amnesty International's latest report on their conditions of reception is damning: forced expulsions, ill-treatment and illegal detention.

2,600 migrants are still locked up in camps with no prospect for the future. 

The right to asylum in danger in Europe

And it is not only in Lithuania that the right to asylum is in danger.

This fundamental right is also seriously under threat in 8 European countries, in Germany, Belgium, France, Hungary, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.

This is the observation made in a final note by the Christian NGO against torture and the death penalty ACAT; 

, explained to

 the conditions under which asylum seekers were received in Europe.  

The European eye of Franceline Beretti

Highly anticipated summit, this Wednesday June 29 and Thursday June 30, 2022, in Madrid, for all the member countries of the Atlantic Alliance.

The question of the American defense umbrella has never seemed so crucial and debated, with the candidacy of two new states, Sweden and Finland.

But this revival also raises the question of its financing. 

 did the accounts in her European eye. 

A Ukrainian festival in Portugal

And we'll end this show on a big screen.

The cinema which also bears witness to the war in Ukraine.

In Portugal, the city of Espino in the north of the country, has decided to host in its FEST festival, part of the program of the Odessa International Film Festival....

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