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Thank you President, Honourable Members [of the European Parliament,

The topic of today’s debate is another example of unacceptable violations of fundamental rights by Lukashenko’s regime.  

Viktar Babaryka was arrested just before the 2020 presidential elections for which he intended to run. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in June 2021 for the sole reason of trying to exercise his political right to stand as a candidate. Additionally, there is now evidence that he has been victim of serious mistreatment in prison. We are doing what we can to get information, but the Belarusians authorities do not reply.  

Unfortunately, he is just one example among many. The detention conditions in Belarus are appalling, especially for political prisoners, and there is widespread use of torture.  

Several political prisoners were recently admitted to hospital after being reportedly exposed to violence in prison. On 21 May 2021, Vitold Ashurak died in prison. We call once again for an enquiry into the circumstances and cause of his death. Only a few days ago, on 7 May, another political prisoner, blogger Nikolai Klimovich died in prison. The regime will do just anything to silence critical voices and calls for democracy.  

Almost three years since the fraudulent elections of August 2020, there are now more than 1500 political prisoners in Belarus, and their number continues to grow. On 6 March 2023, two other key figures from the opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya -to whom this Parliament awarded the Sakharov prize for Freedom of Thought- and Pavel Latushko, were sentenced in absentia to 15 years and 18 years in prison respectively. They were targeted just for standing up for democratic rights and justice, asking for free and fair elections.  

On 3 May, Raman Pratasevich - a journalist who had been arrested after the Ryanair plane he was on was forced to land in Minsk - and two other journalists were sentenced to long prison terms.  A demonstration of total disrespect, on World Press Freedom Day. 

A recent UN report concluded that gross human rights violations are being committed across the country and that some may amount to crimes against humanity. The European Union will continue to condemn this brutal repression in the strongest possible terms and stand up for human rights. 

The EU 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 to its support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. And let me be clear: the deterioration of the situation will lead to further EU reactions.  

At the same time, the European Union continues to support the people of Belarus, and has provided over €100 million in direct financial support to the civil society in Belarus.  

The European Union calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and for the cessation of repression. 

The European Union will continue its efforts to ensure justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators. 

We will continue to stand by the people of Belarus. 

Thank you. 

Link to the video (starting from 20:07): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-240742