About Belarus in Focus Information Office
Belarus, on the E.U.’s eastern border, has been ruled by Aliaksandr Lukashenka for the past 28 years. In 2020-2021, the protests against the fraudulent presidential election resulted in the arrests of more than 30,000 people, more than 5,500 criminal cases against the protesters, and more than 1,000 people as political prisoners (as of February 2022 all these numbers are growing). 10 people died. Repressions are ongoing and target not only voices of political dissent, but cultural activists, human rights defenders, independent media, doctors, students, and generally all those viewed as opposed to the regime by the regime. The country faced mass emigration because of the regime’s terror.
Our mission
Founded in 2011 as Solidarity with Belarus Information Office, Belarus in Focus Information Office is a Warsaw-based non-profit, non-partisan organization working closely with Belarusian and international journalists and expert community to overcome Belarus’ isolation by promoting democratic values and transformation.
We believe that international solidarity is vital for supporting any democratic changes within the country.
That’s why we work with international journalists and policymakers to help the voices of Belarusian civil society to be heard.
Our objectives
- Raising awareness inside Belarus about democratic values and the policies of the European Union in relation to Belarus.
- Raising awareness among the international community about the political, economic, social, and cultural situation in Belarus.
- Strengthening ties between Belarusian civil society and the international democratic community.
Our principles
We base our work on principles of cooperation – we stand for close cooperation among all stakeholders working inside and outside Belarus for the benefit of Belarus; impartiality – we are not affiliated with any political force and we are non-biased towards any political force in our assessments; and involvement – we try to engage as many partners and individuals in our efforts and undertakings.
What we do
- Belarus in Focus weekly analytical review in English and in Russian covering the most important developments in economic, political, and social spheres.
- Regular meetings of the Belarusian Expert-Analytical Club where Belarusian and international experts discuss the most pressing Belarus-related issues
- Press conferences of the Belarusian civil society organizations, political figures, and analytical centers for the Belarusian and international media
- Advocacy campaigns to attract attention to the ongoing repressions in Belarus
Bank info
PKO Bank Polski
ODDZIAŁ 27 W WARSZAWIE
00-130 Warszawa, ul. Graniczna 4
IBAN:
PL83 1020 1013 0000 0702 0243 3829 (PLN)
PL06 1020 1013 0000 0302 0320 8501 (USD)
PL70 1020 1013 0000 0702 0244 0659 (EURO)
SWIFT: BPKOPLPW