Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Opposition Leader of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s support for democracy and human rights in Belarus. He condemned the continued detention of political prisoners by the Lukashenko regime as well as its continued attacks on freedom of the press, and recognized Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s ongoing efforts to promote the democratic and human rights of the Belarusian people. The Prime Minister highlighted the sanctions Canada announced today, which target 21 individuals in response to the ongoing human rights violations in Belarus since the fraudulent presidential election of 2020.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya condemned the Lukashenko regime’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, including the reports of the regime’s complicity in Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children.
The Prime Minister and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya looked forward to continued co-operation in support of the rights and aspirations of the people of Belarus.