On the severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus

B100053/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus

(2024/2804(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Belarus,

having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas there are at least 1347 political prisoners in captivity in Belarus who face isolation, torture, denial of medical care and forced labour;

Whereas since 2020 at least 7 of political prisoners have died, while many others face serious health problems and lack of access to medical care, with a notable case of Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut, whose life is in immediate danger;

Strongly condemns the illegitimate Lukashenka regime for ongoing practice of persecuting political opponents, human rights defenders, lawyers, historians, journalists, members of clergy and NGOs and reminds the regime of its international obligations;

Calls for the immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners, and arbitrarily detained persons, while restoring their full rights and granting appropriate compensation;

Expresses its grave concern with the deteriorating health of many prisoners, including Andrzej Poczobut, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Andrey Voinich, Viachaslau Areshka, Alaksandr Fiaduta, Maryja Kalesnikava and others and calls for granting them immediate access to proper medical care;

Condems the practice of holding some political prisoners in incommunicado regime, most notably Maksim Znak, Maryja Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka, Mikalai Statkevich, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Ihar Losik, Uladzimir Kniha and calls for ending this practice which amounts to torture;

Likewise, strongly condemns repeated additional punishment of political prisoners who are public figures, with the most notable example of Ales Bialacki, Nobel Peace Prize and Sakharov Prize laureate, who is regularly put in solitary confinement;

condemns the forced Russification of Belarusian culture and history, including the systematic deprivation of the Belarusian language from schools and public spaces;

Underlines the need for a comprehensive investigation into the crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime against the people of Belarus; calls on the Member States to actively apply the universal jurisdiction principle and prepare court cases against Belarusian officials, including Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who are responsible for, or complicit in, systematic violence and repression and crimes against humanity;

Denounces the practice of persecuting political opponents in exile by taking their relatives hostage in Belarus, as well as conducting absentee court proceedings against them, imposing huge prison terms and fines, confiscating property, threatening to deprive them of Belarusian citizenship;

Condemns the persecution of the Polish, Lithuanian and other national minority groups in Belarus and their representatives, including the decisions aiming to shut down Polish and Lithuanian schools and eliminate education in these languages, as well as the destruction of Polish cemeteries and heritage;

confirms its solidarity with institutions of the democratic forces, civil society and independent media and its will to work tirelessly for their legitimate aspirations for a democratic and European future for the people of Belarus;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, Member States, the Coordination Council and United Transitional Cabinet representing the Belarusian democratic forces, the de facto Belarusian authorities, the UN and the OSCE.