The Governing Board of the European Humanities University strongly condemns the unlawful and unjust brutal actions by the Belarusian authorities during recent weeks of March 2017, resulting in hundreds of Belarusian citizens detained and arrested, including several students and graduates of the European Humanities University.
Freedom of association, alongside with freedom of speech, freedom of public expression, and civil liberties constitute the core values of the contemporary civilized world. With firm conviction, we find the unlawful actions of the Belarusian authorities, once again, extends the repression of the peaceful citizens of Belarus.
Back in summer 2004 our University was forced to leave Belarus due to politically-biased persecution by the Belarusian regime. Despite inevitable challenges accompanying the re-establishment of our operations in Vilnius, we remain committed to the European future of Belarus and will continue our utmost efforts to return critical knowledge to our homeland – Belarus. So are the desires and beliefs of thousands of Belarusians, including students, faculty, staff, and graduates of the European Humanities University.
We condemn politically-biased expulsions of students from Belarusian Universities. Therefore, with the support of the international community of the donors of the European Humanities University, we stand ready to provide academic shelter right now, and should repression towards civil activists and academic community occur again.
Members of the Governing Board of the European Humanities University express support to relatives of everyone, who were or remain unjustly detained and oppressed by the renewed ruthless wave of abuse by the Belarusian authorities.