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EP plenary: Repression against the people of Belarus

European External Action Service (EEAS)

16.02.2023
Strasbourg
EEAS Press Team

Speech delivered by Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, on behalf of High-Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell

Check against delivery!

Mr. President, Honourable Members [of the European Parliament],

I wish to thank the Parliament for the opportunity to discuss again the dire situation in Belarus.

Unfortunately, the repression continues to intensify. There are now more than 1450 political prisoners, a number that increases by the day.

Recent legislation allows for depriving citizens living abroad of their citizenship. Trials in absentia have started against members of the Coordination Council. Harsh and politically motivated verdicts have recently been pronounced, such as against Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and Deputy Chairman of the Union of Poles in Belarus, who was sentenced on 8 February to eight years of imprisonment in a hard-labour penal colony.

Ales Bialiatski, founder of the organisation Viasna, in prison since 2020, is now on trial and he risks between 9 and 12 years of prison. His verdict is expected soon. He has devoted his life to the promotion of democracy and human rights in Belarus - efforts that were recognised by the 2022 Nobel Peace Price. As the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell recalled on that occasion: "The attribution of the Nobel Peace Price to human rights defenders is a sign of hope and light amidst the darkness of internal repression in Russia and Belarus, and Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine."

The European Union will continue to stand up for the respect of human rights in Belarus. In the international fora, the European Union has led three successful resolutions in the UN Human Rights Council to report on the situation in Belarus and establish a robust accountability mechanism under the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We have raised the issue in Arria-format [meetings] in the United Nations Security Council, in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and in the Council of Europe. We support both politically and financially the International Accountability Platform for Belarus that collects evidence of the crimes with a view to holding the perpetrators accountable.

The European Union has reacted firmly to the illegal actions of Lukashenko's regime by imposing robust sanctions on Belarus, as a response to the violations of human rights and international norms and as well as a response to Belarus' support to Russia's war of aggression.

At the same time, we have provided strong support to the people of Belarus, with over €100 million earmarked for this purpose.

The attachment to freedom and democracy shown by the people of Belarus is a source of great inspiration for us. It is our duty to continue supporting them and their quest for rights, rule of law, free and fair elections and true independence.

Thank you.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-237401

Closing remarks

Mr. President, Honourable Members,

This debate demonstrates that there is really a strong support of this Parliament to the European Union's strong reaction against the systematic human rights violations in Belarus - and I am grateful for this support.

Many of you mentioned sanctions, so let me update you on where we stand.

There have been six rounds of sanctions against Belarus, and they include: an embargo on arms and related material; a ban on export of equipment for internal repression; an asset freeze and travel ban, targeting 195 individuals and 35 entities, plus additional 42 high-ranking military and other personnel from Belarus for their involvement in/or facilitation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There is also a ban on overflight, take-off and landing for Belarusian aircrafts, and there are sectoral measures restricting trade and financial services.

Work is currently ongoing to ensure alignment between Russia's and Belarus' sanctions regime, and the [European] Commission is also working on adopting more sanctions in the context of human rights violations, sanctions that would target primarily judges and prosecutors.

In the event of further involvement of Belarus in the war, further areas of sanctions will be explored.

This debate also demonstrated that we need to continue our strong support to the people of Belarus, in light of the ever-worsening repression of Lukashenko's regime against the Belarusian population.

We will continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners, and for the cessation of repression. The authorities of Belarus must engage in a genuine and inclusive dialogue with all elements of society, leading to free and fair elections under international observation and in accordance with international standards.

We will continue to stand by the people of Belarus.

Thank you.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-237403