Czech govt. earmarks aid for Belarusian independent media, persecuted figures

The Czech government on Monday approved the creation of a fund to help independent Belarusian media and persecuted people, and treat people injured in ongoing protests there.

Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (Social Democrats) told the ČTK news agency 10 million crowns will be set aside from his ministry’s current budget for this purpose.

Support for independent media, including for journalists forced out of their jobs who require legal assistance, is the main priority now, he said, along with providing support for Belarusian civil society in general.

Petříček said funds would also go to providing “psychotherapeutic assistance to people arrested and allegedly subjected to torture by local authorities”.