Leaving Belarus does not mean escaping the regime’s persecution. It can still threaten your parents, confiscate your home, cancel your passport and sentence you to years in prison in absentia. Today I spoke at the event "Transnational Repression in the OSCE Region, held as part of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference of the OSCE. In my keynote, I called for stronger protection for Belarusians, both at home and in exile. Governments must provide secure legal status and travel documents for those who cannot safely return. No journalist, activist or former political prisoner should be left without papers because Lukashenka refuses to renew a passport. People expelled from Belarus after their release must have their rights restored and be free to decide where to live. Extradition requests from the regime need close scrutiny. International police cooperation must never become a tool for sending people back to persecution. This year, teams from our democratic forces and partners have helped prevent the extradition or forced return to Belarus of at least 15 people. We also need to protect journalists in exile from hacking, threats and intimidation. Their safety matters to everyone inside Belarus who depends on independent information. I want to thank 🇪🇪 Ambassador @silverkungas1 and all the Nordic and Baltic countries and @osce_odihr for bringing us together, and Poland and Lithuania for helping Belarusians find safety. I am grateful to the countries supporting the International Humanitarian Fund, which has raised over €3.3 million to help people recover from repression and rebuild their lives. The regime must stop new political arrests and the persecution of families. Those responsible for repression across borders must be held accountable. Protecting Belarusians and our independent civil society is an investment in Europe’s security.