On the severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus

B100055/2024

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 numerous previous resolutions on Belarus,

having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas in Belarus there are currently more than 1300 political prisoners, often arbitrarily detained and held in life-threatening conditions; whereas there are political prisoners with serious health and mental illnesses, disabilities, over the age of 60 or minors; whereas since 2021 at least six political prisoners have died in captivity;

whereas in its report of 3 February 2023, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that detention conditions in Belarus amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment, and torture; whereas prisoners do not receive timely or sufficient medical assistance or legal counsel and are also kept incommunicado for long periods of time;

whereas since July 2024 some 78 political prisoners were pardoned and released; whereas Belarusian authorities continue harassing political prisoners upon their release, by subjecting them to regular checks, supervision and by opening new criminal cases against them;

whereas Belarusian authorities increasingly put pressure and prosecuted family members of political prisoners, journalists, and activists providing support to them;

whereas the imprisonment of Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and Polish minority activist in Belarus, is a striking example of the persecution of national minorities in Belarus;

Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners held by the Lukashenkha regime, including Viktar Babaryka and his son Eduard, Mariya Kalesnikava, Maksim Znak, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Pavel Seviarynets, Mikalai Statkevich, Ihar Losik, Uladzimir Kniha, Andrzej Poczobut, Ales Bialiatski, Palina Szarenda-Panasiuk and all other political prisoners in Belarus;

Considers it unacceptable that several political prisoners have been held incommunicado for more than a year; insists that political prisoners must receive proper medical assistance, access to legal counsel and family members; underlines the need to provide prisoners’ access to diplomats and international organisations in order to independently assess their condition and provide aid;

Calls on the EU and its Member States to broaden and strengthen sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for the repression in Belarus and to include all individuals complicit with the regime’s repressions and ensure its proper enforcement; calls on EU sanctions on the Lukashenka regime to mirror sanctions against Russia, including against goods resulting from the political prisoners’ forced labour;

Calls on the EU and its Member States to continue and step up support to Belarusian human rights defenders, activists and others wrongfully targeted by the authorities inside and outside the country;

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, responsible for or complicit in systematic violence and repressions;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, Member States, the representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces, the de facto Belarusian authorities and the UN.