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Washington, DC – Ahead of Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya appearing at her first public hearing before the U.S. Congress, Representatives McCaul and Meeks, the Lead Republican and Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Representatives Keating and Fitzpatrick, the Chair and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe, the Environment, Energy, and Cyber, released the following statement calling on the Lukashenka regime to end its human rights violations and release all political prisoners unjustly held in Belarus immediately: 

“The Lukashenka regime’s violent crackdown on and wrongful imprisonment of opposition activists, peaceful protesters and journalists is a vile assault on human rights and must end immediately. We are particularly troubled by the case of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty consultant Ihar Losik, whose health is deteriorating after engaging in two hunger strikes to protest his own political imprisonment since June 2020. The United States must continue to stand firmly with the Belarusian people in their quest for democracy. We therefore urge the Administration to use the variety of tools at its disposal in coordination with our allies and partners to compel the Lukashenka regime to release all the political prisoners unjustly held in Belarus without delay.”

Learn more about Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) consultant Ihar Losik here.

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