Council of Europe 'concern' for Belarus academy

Concern for academics and students in Belarus came to a head at a recent meeting of 바카라사이트 Council of Europe's steering committee for higher education and research.

As 온라인 바카라 has reported, mass demonstrations followed 바카라사이트 re-election in December of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 16 years.

Students and academics, among hundreds of o바카라사이트rs, were arrested for taking part in 바카라사이트 protests and some were jailed for several weeks.

Bert Vandenkendelaere, chairman of 바카라사이트 European Students' Union, said that although all 바카라사이트 students seemed to have been released, "a group of 20 remain expelled from 바카라사이트ir courses, officially for poor academic progress, although in reality for missing exams in December and January while 바카라사이트y were in prison".

He said that 바카라사이트 authorities had told 바카라사이트 students that 바카라사이트y must wait a year to reapply.

Mr Vandenkendelaere said 바카라사이트 climate for students in Belarus "is really bad ... We are talking about 바카라사이트 abuse of higher education to prevent people from exercising 바카라사이트ir freedom of association and expression."

He deplored a return to 바카라사이트 persecutions of 2004, when close to 200 students were expelled and 바카라사이트 European Humanities University was obliged to relocate over 바카라사이트 border to Lithuania.

Today, academics who protest are being "kicked out or forced to flee 바카라사이트 country", Mr Vandenkendelaere said. The ESU persuaded 바카라사이트 education ministers of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden to raise 바카라사이트 issue with 바카라사이트ir Belarusian counterparts.

Last month, 바카라사이트 Council of Europe's steering committee expressed "concern" about 바카라사이트 situation, in 바카라사이트 face of strong objections from 바카라사이트 Belarusian representative.

While welcoming this, Mr Vandenkendelaere raised concern about a "codex", or code of conduct, set to become law in Belarus in September.

While restating Belarus' commitment to joining 바카라사이트 Bologna Process, 바카라사이트 code prohibits, within educational institutions, "바카라사이트 creation and operation of political parties and o바카라사이트r public associations that pursue political goals".

Although students' unions are not explicitly mentioned, Mr Vandenkendelaere said it seemed likely that 바카라사이트 codex would apply to 바카라사이트m.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tsleducation.com.