The two organizations are calling for the release of detained students in Belarus and have launched a petition calling Belarusian university directors to stand up for the rights of their students. 

Since the enormous falsification of the presidential election results by Lukashenka on 9 August 2020, thousands of people in Belarus have been demonstrating on the streets peacefully. The protestors demand the resignation of the autocrat and an end of the massive violence. Student organisations are a driving force behind the mobilisation of the masses.  

The situation of many students and politically engaged young people in Belarus is extremely precarious. Due to the leading role they play in peaceful protests, they are subject to particularly harsh repression by the state. In the past 3 months alone, at least 144 students have been forcibly expelled from their universities because of their political activities and over 380 students have been arrested. The Belarusian student and member of the Belarusian Students Association (BSA), Sasha Kuzmich, who herself had to flee the country to the Ukraine, stated: “What is happening to the BSA and students is a war against youth and academic freedom. They have expelled our members from the universities, beaten them at demonstrations and thrown them into prison. In all this, the rectors of our universities have so far looked the other way. If they really care about the good reputation of their universities, they should take our side, the side of their students.” 

The Students Solidarity Alliance Belarus and the human rights organisation Libereco have launched an international petition to Belarusian university directors. Lars Bünger, President of Libereco Switzerland, stated: “Students in Belarus claim their rights to freedom of expression and assembly and are therefore persecuted. Many students had to flee Belarus. Removals from the register of students can only take place as long as there are willing helpers of the criminal Lukashenka regime, who order them to do so. We call all Belarusian university directos to oppose the regime and stand behind their students.” 

With these demands, the Students Solidarity Alliance Belarus and Libereco join a joint declaration of the Belarusian student organisations.

You can find the petition here: https://act.campax.org/petitions/stop-the-repression-against-belarusian-students