U.S. Congress to hold hearings on human rights in Belarus

This decision was made after the meeting between American politicians and Movement for Freedom leader Alexander Milinkevich.

According to the movement's press office, Milinkevich met with former United States Ambassador to Belarus Karen Stewart who is now Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Congressman Alcee Hastings, Congressman Christopher Smith who authored Belarus Democracy Act and other politicians.

Milinkevich talked about political prisoners in Belarus, the repressions against independent journalists and reminded the practice of denying registration to political and public organizations had continued.

Christopher Smith noted that the dialogue shouold be critical and justified, because sanctions could not be directed against ordinary people. In the view of the Congressman, the United States should work together with the OSCE to achieve real changes in the electoral practice: representatives of independent candidates should be part of all electoral commissions.

U.S. National Security Council's European Director Christina Queen said about a need to coordinate the Belarus policy between the United States and the European Union.