IUF welcomes release of Aliaksandr Yarashuk and calls on the Belarus Government to return freedom of association in the country

The IUF welcomes with immense relief the long-awaited release of the former IUF Executive Committee member Aliaksandr Yarashuk and fellow trade union leaders from among the group of Belarusian political prisoners. For years, they have been unjustly jailed simply for standing up for the rights and dignity of working people. Today, their return to freedom is a victory for courage, solidarity, and justice.

But let us be clear: their freedom is overshadowed by outrage. The shocking physical condition of those released speaks volumes about the cruelty of their captivity. These men and women were held in inhuman and degrading conditions, in blatant violation of international law and basic decency. The Belarusian authorities bear full responsibility for this abuse.

The struggle is far from over. Independent trade unions in Belarus remain dismantled, their members harassed and silenced. The Government must urgently implement all recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and guarantee workers' fundamental rights without delay.

We call on the international community to maintain-and intensify-its pressure on Belarus until every prisoner of conscience is free, until persecution ends, and until justice is restored. Our solidarity with Belarusian workers and their brave representatives remains unshaken. Their fight is our fight, and it continues.