On the 10th July 1994, Alexander Lukashenko was elected President of Belarus after receiving 80.3% of the vote. This event set off a chain of reactions which has severely deteriorated the state of human rights and rule of law in Belarus, and as of 2017, presidential and parliamentary elections in Belarus are no longer considered to be free and fair by the OSCE, United Nations, the EU and the U.S. However, OSCE stopped recognising elections as fair in 1995, only one year after President Lukashenko’s first election.

Brave Belarusians have taken the streets to protest against these unfair elections for decades, and over the years international watchdogs have uncovered systematic abuse, torture and imprisonment of these activists who dare to question President Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime. These activists are not only fighting for democracy and free elections in their country, but they are inadvertently fighting for their own sovereignty under the weight of Russian interference.

But how did Belarus end up here?

Alexander Lukashenko began his political career at a young age, originally holding a post in the Soviet army and the communist youth organisation back when Belarus was still a part of the Soviet Union. In 1990, he was elected to the parliament in the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic and he was the only deputy who was against an agreement that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1994, he was elected as President for the first time, and by 1996 he had persuaded Belarusian voters to approve constitutional amendments which expanded the authority of the presidency. Since then, he has received significant financial and political support from Russia, with many viewing President Lukashenko as a puppet of the Russian government.

In recent years, human rights violations in Belarus have hit international headlines. Particularly the protests held after President Lukashenko won his 6th term with 80% of the vote in 2020. Pro-democratic protesters embarked on the streets of Minsk and several Belarusian cities. The peaceful protest quickly turned violent, with Belarusian police and military targeting the protestors. Just a few months after the election, the United Nations Human Rights Office reported more than 450 documented cases of torture and mistreatment of activists and the Viana Human Rights centre documented 1,000 testimonies of torture victims. It is estimated that up to 35,000 people were arrested during these protests. President Lukashenko’s main opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, fled the country in fear of her life. This effectively ended any real political opposition to President Lukashenko. The elections were criticised internationally, with the EU publishing a statement rejecting the legitimacy of the elections and condemning the repression of protestors. Shortly after, the EU, UK and Canada all imposed sanctions on Belarusian officials.

Just last year, President Lukashenko made headlines again after the Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair passenger plane to land in Minsk due to an alleged bomb threat. Once landed, the authorities boarded the plane and arrested journalist Roman Protasevich, a vocal critic of President Lukashensko’s regime. Protasevich was in exile in Lithuania and had been actively organising protests through the messaging app Telegram. However, after the forced landing of the plane he was detained in Minsk and now stands accused of organising riots, facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Later that same year, Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystina Tsimanouskaya refused to fly back to Belarus after the Olympic games in Tokyo. Tsimanouskaya criticised Belarusian Olympic officials for forcing her to race in the 4 x 400 metres relay without her consent; she later sought protection from Japanese airport police over fears for her safety. After receiving international attention, she was eventually granted a humanitarian visa in Poland where she still remains.

The violation of democracy on the EU’s border after 3 decades since the dissolution of the Soviet Union is a threat to the stability of Eastern Europe and causes serious doubts over the West’s handling of these regimes, particularly since Belarus falls under the European Neighbourhood Policy. The situation has since escalated further as Belarus assisted Russia in their invasion of Ukraine, allowing Russian troops to enter Ukraine through the Belarus border. Since the start of the invasion, an investigation into potential war crimes by Russian troops has been launched, once again associating Belarus with anti-democratic and illegal behaviour. The situation is desperately deteriorating and in the process Belarus slips further away from joining the rest of its former-Soviet neighbours in modern-day democracy. Although the West needs to address the real danger that comes from President Lukashensko’s rule, there has to be a harmonised response from the West to prevent Belarus from slipping into the isolationist future that Russia is headed for. While the West must do what they can to defend Ukraine, we must also ensure that the 9.4 million people of Belarus are not lost in an anti-democratic abyss in the process.

The Young European Federalist (JEF Europe) have been organising the “Free Belarus Action” since 2006 to raise awareness of President Lukashensko’s regime. In 2014, this was rebranded to the “Democracy under Pressure Action” with the intention of addressing numerous violations of democracy and human rights in Europe.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Speak up for democracy on social media – Remember to use #DemocracyUnderPressure !
• Consider writing a letter to a prisoner in Bearus or if you did it already that and the prisoner is still imprisoned, write a follow-up letter to them!
• Organise an event covering topics of the campaign, such as reasons behind democratic values put under pressure, why people vote for parties that want to limit human rights, how the rule of law is under threat in the EU and beyond.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not necessarily be reflective of JEF as a whole

The post Democracy Under Pressure: Belarus | JEF appeared first on The Third Eye.

KSU is launching the second phase of its campaign “Democracy Derailed?” this Saturday the 11th of December at The Notch, Urban Valley Hotel! The first Phase was launched by the KSU on August 28, 2021. It is aimed to pinpoint and discuss the state of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Malta. You can find more information about how the first phase went here.

What is “Democracy Derailed?”

Democracy Derailed? is an Erasmus+ project aimed at engaging youths through a number of conferences, in order to get their perspective and proposals on the state of democracy in Malta. This project is divided into three main themes: Media and Freedom of Speech, Partisan Politics, and Civic Education & Active Citizenship.

This project is open to all youths aged between 17 and 30. Participants will be entitled to a certificate on the attendance of at least two activities while participating University of Malta students will be entitled to DegreePlus recognition upon attending at least two activities. 

What are the panel topics?

KSU have announced two panel topics so far. The first panel topic being: Civic Education & Active Citizenship and the second panel topic is Activism vs Representation.

In the first panel topic given the imminence of a General Election election, with 16 & 17 year olds forming part of the electorate for the first time, KSU hopes to emphasise the importance of civic education amongst youths. The aim is to have a fruitful discussion on the importance of implementing civic education into syllabi as effectively and holistically as possible.

In the second panel topic, the KSU hopes to emphasise the importance of representation and activism in society. The aim is to have a fruitful discussion on the difference and distinctions between representation and activism and why they are both important for the functioning of our democracy.

Announced Speakers so far

The KSU has announced Five different speakers so far. Here is a brief description of the announced speakers:

Dr. Francis Fabri:

Dr. Franics Fabri is currently serving as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Education. Dr. Fabri was awarded his doctorate in education from the Institute of Education, the University of London after completing Masters’s and Bachelor’s programs at the University of Malta. His areas of specialization include educational leadership, school networks and networking, professional training and development, strategy development, and implementation. Furthermore, He has published and presented in these areas both at national and international conferences.

Mr.Francesco Grech:

Francesco Grech is a 29 year old author, composer, and educator. He finalised his studies at the University of Malta and Rome graduating with two Masters in Literature, and Arts and Culture Management. He is also the co-founder of Għawdix and believes that we need more youthful voices in activism and politics. Currently, he is the Social media officer of Għawdix.

Mr. Clayton Mercieca:

Clayton Mercieca (he\him) is currently the President of Allied Rainbow Communities and Coordinator of Malta Pride. With his educational background in social work and having been trained as a creative thinker, Clayton is combining his years of activism in citizen participation, striving for equality and social justice to create communities that foster a true sense of belonging and empowerment here in Malta.

Ms Bernie Mizzi:

Principal for over 40 years at Chiswick House School and St. Martin’s College – an all-through Independent School in Malta offering educational programs (formal and informal) to children aged 2 to 18. She is also Co-founder of EC English, an international language school, and more recently Founder Trustee and Administrator of The Storm Petrel Foundation – A non-profit voluntary organisation promoting art, literature, and popular culture.

Mr. Jason Zammit:

Jason is a youth worker by profession. He is a Youth and Community Studies graduate and holds a Masters in Public Policy. In 2011 Jason joined Agenzija Zghazagh where he is currently enrolled as a Senior Manager – Research, Strategy, and Youth Policy Implementation. His main responsibility is to ensure a seamless youth service within the framework of the National Youth Policy. He also undertakes representational duties in Malta and the EU in pursuit of National Youth Policy objectives. Jason is a visiting lecturer in the Department of Public Policy at the University of Malta.

How to register for the event?

The event will be taking place on Saturday 11th December at 09:30 at Urban Valley Hotel, San Gwann. Applicants must present a Vaccination Certificate upon entry. All COVID-19 Measures in place will be adhered to. Those interested in attending must apply through the link: 
https://bit.ly/3xiqToi

University of Malta students will be entitled to DegreePlus recognition upon attending at least two activities. 

For updates on the event itself please follow the event facebook post here!

For more KSU related news click here!

The post “Democracy Derailed?” Phase Two! What we know so far | KSU appeared first on The Third Eye.

Due to several hurdles brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, KSU utilised this time to restructure their aim and focus on what this campaign would be.  With this said, KSU made the current political climate, findings from Investigations and evidence presented in Court and the recently published Public Inquiry, the apex of the discussion for this campaign.

The launch was initiated by KSU President, Neil Zahra, who discussed this project’s relevance to the local political scenario and the importance of youth’s taking stock of their democratic standing.  Thereafter, KSU’s Social Policy Officer and Campaign Coordinator, Alexandra Gaglione, set in motion the campaign while emphasising for a freshers Maltese democratic outlook that stems away from party lines. In her dialogue, she highlights the importance of youths being heard, not as simply the future, but as present voices that look at democracy and the rule of law in an objective manner.

Manuel Delia, as keynote speaker, focused on the history of Maltese Democracy and its development whilst also touching upon the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and its harrowing political implications and connections. Delia, in his address, asked: 

“The truth about Malta’s democracy? Corruption is real.  A journalist who exposed it was killed for it. The corrupt tried to get away with it. Some of them were forced to resign in disgrace, overwhelmed by a snowball that started as a pebble pushed downhill by civil society. But justice has not yet been served.”

Following the addresses, the panel made up of Dr Martina Caruana, Mark Laurence Zammit, Manuel Delia and Rebecca Buttigieg touched upon freedom of expression, partisan politics and active citizenship and civic education; the main sub-themes of the campaign.  The pinnacle of this discussion was made clear, wherein it was emphasised that the population has for too long been viewing democracy and the rule of law from the skewed hyper-partisan lens which has deteriorated the sense of critical thought and the ability to hold governing powers accountable.

KSU hopes that the launch will serve as a taster of what is yet to come. Youths must finally be accounted for and heard.

The post Democracy In Malta: Has It Been Derailed? | KSU appeared first on The Third Eye.

Back in April 2018, 31-year-old British student Matthew Hedges had just finished a two-week visit to the United Arab Emirates. Hedges conducted multiple interviews as part of his PhD on the effects of the Arab Spring on the Gulf States.

Minutes before heading back home, Hedges was arrested at Dubai International Airport. He was held in solitary confinement for six months, and accused of spying and providing confidential information to outside sources.

The Abu Dhabi court found Hedges guilty and sentenced him to life in prison.

Then-Prime Minister Theresa May, intelligence agencies such as MI6, and NGOs like Human Rights Watch criticised the trial. The UAE President eventually pardoned Hedges, and returned safely back home. Happy ending right? No; this attack on academic research is one of many stories that we have heard of over the past few years.

These attacks occur even within our supposedly democratic European borders.

A few years earlier, the Hungarian Parliament made it illegal “for some independent universities to operate. They required the approval from the Hungarian government to remain open.

This meant that the Hungarian government could ban universities by refusing to sign a continuation contract. Shortly after, the Hungarian Government passed a ban “on gender studies within higher education. The two Universities affected by this band, ELTE and the CEU, were given just 24 hours to respond.”

Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a law that imposed five-year prison sentences on anyone who argued that Poland, or that the Polish people, were in any way responsible for Soviet or Nazi crimes. Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, described this move as “a way to re-write history.”

Academics are trying to take a stand in favour of academic freedom.

Hungarian academic Daniela Crăciun and American academic Georgiana Mihut wrote a paper, entitled “Requiem for a Dream: Academic Freedom under Threat in Democracies”. They noted that “academic freedom in democratic countries is both a powerful indicator and a consequence of democratic decline. The protection of academic freedom represents an important societal tool for inclusiveness and guards against power abuses.”

“Teaching and researching freely ensure that history is not forgotten, and that the checks and balances necessary for a working democracy are maintained. Academic freedom is important for the wellbeing of universities, and that of the countries and regions in which they operate.”

The spirit of academic freedom, the never-ending pursuit of legal discourse and innovative thinking, is being threatened.

Student-run academic journals have proven their resilience and strength in this regard. What were once ambitious (if not overzealous) projects, are gradually becoming essential drivers for democracy. They fuel the most relevant, up-to-date and important debates in our society.

It is with this in mind that GħSL once again has embarked on its “Call for Submissions” campaign.

Our legal journal, “Id-Dritt”, is the only legal student-run journal on campus of its type. As it approaches its thirtieth edition this year, its importance more obvious than ever. Meanwhile, the GħSL Online Law Journal provides an opportunity for the law student body to sharpen their writing, to get an early taste of what researching, writing and publishing academic articles is all about.

In light of the present threats that academic writing is facing, GħSL invites the local law-student corps to get in touch with us, and submit their own ideas for publication.

It is only together that the innovative spirit of law and academic progress finds its feet. Together we can reach substantial influence on our policy makers, as well as our society in general.

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