Belarus Freedom Forum applauds the letters by Free Belarus Caucus members U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) urging the Trump Administration to prevent the forced repatriation of vulnerable media personnel and to secure the release of U.S.-affiliated journalists jailed abroad. Senators call attention to imprisoned U.S. supported journalists, including Ihar Losik, a journalist for RFE/RL’s Belarus Service who was unjustly sentenced to fifteen years in prison and has previously gone on hunger strike, and others jailed in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Myanmar, Iran, Vietnam, and Russia.
Honorable Members of the U.S. Congress, Belarusian American organizations urge you to make a statement in support of and demand the immediate release of all 1,171 political prisoners in Belarus, in honor of May 21, the Day of the Political Prisoners of Belarus. The Day of the Political Prisoners of Belarus is a solemn reminder of the pain and suffering Belarusians have endured and continue to endure for their aspirations for democracy, freedom, and basic human rights.
On March 25, 1918, the Belarusian National Council, which represented political and religious organizations from regions with majority Belarusian populations, proclaimed the Belarusian Democratic Republic (BNR) to be a Sovereign and Free nation that protects the rights and freedoms of all citizens and all peoples of Belarus. The foundational statutes of BNR guaranteed freedom of speech, gathering, strikes, and collective bargaining, freedom of conscience, protection from unlawful arrest and search, and a universal right to vote regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.
We believe that the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights are universal values that unite us all in opposition to the imperial ambitions of dictators and authoritarian regimes. In defense of these values, we call on Members of the U.S. Congress to continue support for Ukraine and the courageous Ukrainian people, who have been defending their nation against Russia’s unprovoked February 2022 full-scale invasion.
Belarusian American communities and organizations condemn the sham presidential election held by the Lukashenka regime in Belarus on January 26, 2025. Belarusian people did not get to choose a president. The authorities staged an imitation of elections in an atmosphere of political intimidation and repression without respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights. No conditions for free and fair elections were met.
Dear Members of Congress, we ask you to encourage the State Department to support the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Belarus by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and to advise the State Department to comply with the 2024 NDAA and designate a Special Envoy for Belarus who is exclusively in this role, rather than performing this duty on top of other duties.
On behalf of Belarusian Americans, we, the Belarus Freedom Forum, express our admiration and congratulate the Polish American Congress on its remarkable achievement of 80 years of leadership and active work in support of the Polish American community and for the freedom, democracy, and national interests of Poland. In 80 years, Poland has transformed into a free, sovereign, democratic, prosperous, and dynamically developing country. Today, Poland is a member of the European Union and NATO, no doubt with the contribution of the Polish American Congress.
The Belarus Freedom Forum honors the Day of Ukraine’s Independence and congratulates the worldwide Ukrainian community. We call on the United States to define a clear vision of complete victory for Ukraine - return to the 1991 borders and reparations from Russia, with no additional conditions imposed by Russia. We call for the removal of limitations on the use of American weapons on military targets within Russia’s territory. Streamline and expand the military aid and supplies to Ukraine, listen to the Ukrainian government, and provide every kind of material and logistics Ukraine needs to bring an end to Russian aggression.
Join us in solidarity with those fighting for freedom, democracy, and dignity. On August 9, the Belarusian American community marked the fourth anniversary of the 2020 peaceful mass protests in support of democracy and freedom and against the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus. For the Belarusian Americans, this day is the day of dignity and sorrow. We are proud that in 2020, Belarusians stood up against the dictator, who had been usurping power for 26 years. But so far, we have not won the battle against the dictatorship. Many Belarusians lost their freedom and their lives in this battle.
On May 9, the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University hosted a panel discussion on the gradual annexation of Belarus by Russia, featuring Representative for Foreign Affairs and Deputy Head of United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus Valery Kavaleuski, former U.S. Ambassador to Belarus George Krol, Tufts University Associate Professor of Political Science Oxana Shevel, U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for Eastern Europe and Policy and Regional Affairs Christopher Smith, and moderated by former U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried.
