Today, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who is on a visit to Estonia. At the meeting, the foreign minister presented Tsikhanouskaya with the Order of Merit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for her courage in standing up for the freedom of the Belarusian people.
At the meeting in the Foreign Ministry, Urmas Reinsalu expressed his support for Tsikhanouskaya and the people of Belarus, stating that Estonia would continue to keep the issue of Belarus on the agenda of international organisations. “I am impressed by the bravery of the people of Belarus. Despite repressions by the authorities, they continue to protest peacefully for democracy and their fundamental rights. It is crucial to end the violence, release political prisoners and launch a political dialogue, which would result in new, free and democratic elections.”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is in Estonia to attend an UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on media freedom in Belarus today at 16.00. The meeting is streamed live at https://youtu.be/WGwv6MWAJjE
The Arria-formula meeting aims at drawing attention to the unjust detention of journalists in Belarus and other activities threatening media freedom that have been committed by the Belarusian authorities following the presidential elections on 9 August 2020. The meeting offers immediate information about the grave media freedom violations taking place in Belarus as well as expert assessment and information from affected journalists and human rights experts. Speakers include Irene Khan, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, Member of the Coordination Council Presidium, Head of National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushko, Times journalist Gareth Browne and a journalist from an independent Belarusian media outlet. More information is available on the event page.
While in Estonia, Tsikhanouskaya also met with President Kersti Kaljulaid and Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and is attending the public session of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament.
Gallery (Raigo Pajula): https://flic.kr/s/aHsmTNXm6U
Additional information:
Kristina Ots
Media Adviser
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Communication Department
[email protected]