Hi everyone,

Over 1,000 people signed this petition in the past two weeks, and over 300 shared it on social media. We sent a letter to the Mayor's office with your signatures, but he is yet to respond. We want to thank each of you for your support and hope you keep sharing this petition and spreading the word. Here is the link: http://chng.it/xV7qFyfrYZ.

A lot has happened since we started this petition. Thousands of people keep coming onto the streets of Minsk and other Belarusian towns to demand that their rights and be respected despite the violence and arrests by the police. Pictures of these notoriously peaceful protests appeared on the world's major news media's front pages and covers, such as The Economist, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Guardian, and others. Unfortunately, not all news is bright. At least six people were hanged, shot by police, or died of torture in police custody. As more protesters get released from police custody, we keep receiving reports of torture and rape by police officers.   

Here in the United States, U.S. Senators Murphy, Risch, and Menendez, Representatives McCaul and Engel, as well as the Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden made public statements to support the people of Belarus and condemn the actions of Lukashenka and his regime. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is also demanding that Lukashenka's administration stop torturing protesters and prevent enforced disappearances. On August 21, the Great Wheel in Seattle lit up in white and red in solidarity with Belarus (see photo).

Meanwhile, we continue to organize our solidarity events in Los Angeles to support protesters in Belarus. Follow us on Instagram @BelarusLA to see photos from past events and get updates about future gatherings. If you want to learn more about the situation, BelarusDigest and @VoicesFromBelarus on Instagram are two great English-speaking resources to start. Please consider signing this Amnesty Internation petition to stop police violence and torture in Belarus. 

Thank you and stay safe,

Alena Buinskaya on behalf of the Belarusian community in Los Angeles