Denisova demands Belarus return Ukrainians home as soon as possible

The ombudswoman wrote this on her Telegram channel.

"According to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the Belarusian authorities must immediately after detention inform Ukrainian diplomats about the whereabouts of our fellow citizens and provide access for direct communication with them. I demand that the Belarusian side return Ukrainians home as soon as possible," she said.

Denisova said that immediately after the detention of Ukrainians, she asked Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Ihor Kyzym to establish their whereabouts and check whether Belarusian law enforcement agencies had used physical violence or psychological pressure against Ukrainian citizens.

Denisova also asked Chairman of the Standing Commission on Human Rights, National Relations and Mass Media of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Naumovich to provide proper legal protection to two Ukrainian volunteers detained during mass protests in Belarus, Yevhen Vasyliev and Kostiantyn Reutsky, as well as two other citizens of Ukraine - Oksana Alioshyna and a guy whose name is currently not disclosed.

"I call on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Edi Rama and other international human rights organizations to help provide legal protection to detained Ukrainian citizens," she said.

Denisova also called on Ukrainian citizens to refrain from trips to Belarus for now.

op