A Message of Support for the Belarusian LGBTI Community: Freedom and Justice will Prevail

The National LGBT rights organization LGL would like send a message of support for the Belarusian LGBTI community during these challenging times. The regime of the bloody Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will not prevail as Belarusian people fearlessly demand free elections despite continuous human rights violations.

LGL has long-time partnership with Belarusian LGBTI human rights organizations such as “Journalists for Tolerance” and “DOTYK”, implementing projects to promote democracy and human rights. In 2018, LGL, together with Belarusian partners, produced a publication “Restricted Expression: Guidelines and Recommendations for LGBT Activists in Hostile Environments”, funded by Lithuania’s Development Cooperation Programme.

In 2017-2018 LGL implemented a project “Sharing Expertise and Fostering LGBT Human Rights in Belarus”, involving civil society stakeholders from Belarus, Norway and Lithuania. The project aimed to promote progress towards democracy and support civic society’s development, particularly emphasizing capacity building in the area of communication, advocacy, engaging young people.

LGL is proud to witness outpouring Lithuanian support for Belarusian civil society. On 18 August, 2020 the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, adopted a resolution calling for the non-recognition of Belarus’ recent presidential election and sanctions against officials in the neighbouring country. Lithuanian civil society also came up with many positive initiatives like Freedom Chain, peaceful protests, collecting donations for Belarusian people and organizing medical aid for those brutally beaten by Lukashenko’s regime.

Zhyve Belarus!