resolution motion, 16 September 2024
On the severe situation of political prisoners in Belarus
Motion B-10-2024-0055 · (2024/2804(RSP))
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Sebastião Bugalho, Sandra Kalniete, Tomas Tobé, Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, Gabriel Mato, Marcin Kierwiński, Željana Zovko, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Ondřej Kolář, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Mirosława Nykiel, Reinhold Lopatka, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Luděk Niedermayer, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Jessica Polfjärd, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Isabel Wiseler-Lima
AI:In short
The resolution demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus, including named individuals, and insists on proper medical care, legal counsel, and family access. It calls on the EU and member states to broaden sanctions against those responsible for repression, mirroring sanctions against Russia, and to step up support for human rights defenders. It underlines the need for a comprehensive investigation into crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime and calls for the application of universal jurisdiction.
Key points
- Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners held by the Lukashenka regime, listing specific individuals.
- Considers it unacceptable that prisoners are held incommunicado for over a year; insists on medical assistance, legal counsel, family access, and access to diplomats and international organisations.
- Calls on the EU and member states to broaden and strengthen sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for repression, including all complicit, and to mirror sanctions against Russia, including goods from forced labour.
- Calls on the EU and member states to continue and step up support to Belarusian human rights defenders, activists, and others wrongfully targeted.
- Underlines the need for a comprehensive investigation into crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime and calls on member states to apply universal jurisdiction and prepare court cases against Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka.
Who is affected
- Political prisoners in Belarus, including named individuals, and their families.
- Belarusian authorities, including Aliaksandr Lukashenka, face potential sanctions and prosecution.
- EU and its member states are called to act on sanctions and support.
Figures and deadlines
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 17 paragraphs
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;
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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.