Int' Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies suspends Belarus' membership

MINSK. Dec 1 (Interfax) - The Belarusian Red Cross' membership in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has been suspended, then organization's press service said in a statement on Friday.

"As of today, the Belarus Red Cross Society is suspended from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies," the IFRC press service said in statement.

The move to suspend Belarus' membership was due to the Belarusian organization's failure to comply with an earlier requirement to remove Secretary General Dmitry Shevtsov from his port.

Shevtsov was slammed for statements about nuclear weapons, moving children to Belarus, and visiting Donetsk and Lugansk. The IFRC resolutely demanded that Shevtsov be removed from office in a letter sent to Belarus in early October.

"The suspension means that the Belarus Red Cross loses its rights as a member of the IFRC," the IFRC press service said.