Updated at 13:52,22-04-2024

US calls on Belarus to respect OSCE commitments

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The United States calls the government to allow a visit the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media to Belarus.

As Interfax-Zapad news agency has learned from the Embassy of the United States in Belarus, the statement was made in Vienne by US Ambassador Ian Kelly to the OSCE.

"The United States continues to be deeply concerned about the grave violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Belarus, particularly those enshrined in OSCE commitments", the diplomat said. Kelly expressed his concern that "lawyer and family of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov have not been allowed to visit him since at least November 8 of last year" and that "former presidential candidate Mikola Statkevich has received harsher detention in a "closed regime" for three years as a result of a hearing held in camera".

"We also urge the government to show its willingness to cooperate with the OSCE by allowing a long-awaited visit by the RFOM to Belarus", the diplomat stressed.

Kelly said the US expressed concern about new amendments that restrict free access to information on the Internet in Belarus.