German embassy denies visas to Belarus human rights activists

Four Belarusian human rights activists and journalists who were expected to attend a roundtable meeting with members of the German parliament on October 16 to discuss the 2008 parliamentary elections in Belarus were denied Schengen visas by the German embassy in Minsk, Uladzimir Labkovich, one of those four, told the European Radio for Belarus.  He noted that earlier human rights defenders would numerously obtain Schengen multi-entrance visas due to close contacts with German human rights groups. This time, their visa applications have been rejected without explanations.

Labkovich: I hope that this new situation was caused by some technical misunderstandings, not by new tendencies. It would not be desirable for civil society activists to have no opportunities to travel to EU countries, while Belarus president (who has done a lot to destroy the civic society) had.

Mr. Labkovich hopes this issue can be resolved promptly.