Changes from resolution motion to resolution motion joint

Removedwhereas the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported evidence for crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenka regime, specifically in the context of unlawful imprisonment and persecution;

AddedD. whereas Lukashenka’s regime is exploiting the expiry of many Belarusian passports to force the diaspora to return to Belarus;

RemovedContinues to stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of Belarus and demands the immediate and unconditional release and effective rehabilitation of all political prisoners;

AddedE. whereas the Belarusian regime’s increasing cooperation with Russian security services heightens the risk of coordinated repression, surveillance and hybrid threats in EU territory;

RemovedCondemns the Belarusian authorities for its policy of transnational repression against its citizens abroad; deplores the “special proceedings” by the Investigative Committee targeting Belarusians in exile and considers them clear examples of transnational repression by the Belarusian authorities;

AddedF. whereas Belarusian state media dominates the information landscape; whereas US funding cuts have severely affected Belarus’s civil society and free media;

RemovedCalls on the EU and Member States to swiftly step up efforts to support and protect Belarusians in exile in the EU and those looking to flee Belarus; reiterates its call on the Commission and Member States to simplify the procedures for obtaining visas, residence permits and provisional identification documents for those fleeing Belarus for political reasons; calls on the EU and Member States to prepare procedures to deal with cases of statelessness of Belarusians in the EU who cannot return to Belarus to renew identity documents;

Added1. Demands that Lukashenka’s regime immediately cease its repression, including the surveillance of exiles and demonstrators, and release and rehabilitate all political prisoners;

RemovedWelcomes the work of the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights situation in Belarus and supports the recommendations from its recent report; echoes the recommendation by OHCHR for UN Member States to consider working towards accountability through national proceedings, based on accepted principles of extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction, consistent with international due process;

Added2. Strongly condemns the continued expansion of repression by the Lukashenka regime, which now targets Belarusians abroad with criminal prosecution, asset seizures and other measures designed to silence dissent;

RemovedInstructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, OHCHR, the representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and the authorities of Belarus.

Added3. Calls for EU-wide legal support and protection for exiled Belarusians by simplifying procedures for obtaining visas, resident permits and provisional IDs for individuals made stateless by extraterritorial persecution;

Added4. Reiterates its non-recognition of Lukashenka and considers the persecution of Belarusian citizens for peaceful democratic activities abroad via Investigative Committee ‘special proceedings’ to be a direct violation of the Member States’ territorial sovereignty; urges, therefore, the countries concerned to disregard Interpol arrest warrants for the extradition of Lukashenka’s political opponents;

Added5. Welcomes the sanctions on the President Property Management Directorate and the Central Election Commission, which issued politically motivated judgments;

Added6. Urges the Member States to impose further sanctions equal to those imposed on Russia, particularly on officials responsible for transnational repression;

Added7. Urges the EU and its Member States to increase political, financial and technical support for the independent media, human rights defenders, trade unions and civil society initiatives operating within and outside Belarus, including monitoring trials and increasing the visibility of political prisoners;

Added8. Calls on the VP/HR to use INTCEN and EDMO to counteract Belarusian intelligence operations and disinformation;

Added9. Urges the International Criminal Court to expedite proceedings on crimes against humanity by Lukashenka’s regime and demands that Member States pursue accountability through national proceedings, based on the principle of universal jurisdiction;

Added10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and the Belarusian de facto authorities.