resolution motion, 5 February 2024
On The new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members
Motion B-9-2024-0110 · (2024/2550(RSP))
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group · Rapporteur: Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Malte Gallée, Markéta Gregorová, Francisco Guerreiro, Tineke Strik, Hannah Neumann, Heidi Hautala, Bronis Ropė, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Erik Marquardt
AI:In short
This is a motion for a resolution on the new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members. Parliament condemns the arrests, demands the release of all political prisoners, and calls for easier visas and residence permits for Belarusians fleeing political repression. It reiterates its non-recognition of Lukashenka's election as president and denounces repression of democratic forces, free media and civil society. It calls on Member States to continue accountability efforts for international crimes at UN level and through national proceedings based on extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction.
Key points
- Parliament condemns the recent wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
- It stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus and reiterates its non-recognition of the election of Aleksandr Lukashenka as president.
- It denounces the continuing repression of democratic forces, free media and civil society through politically motivated show trials.
- It reiterates its call on the Commission and Member States to simplify procedures for visas and residence permits for those fleeing Belarus for political reasons.
- It asks them to prepare rules and procedures to deal with cases of statelessness.
- It asks for support for Belarusians in the EU whose identity documents are about to expire and who cannot renew them without returning to Belarus.
- It calls on Member States to ensure that documentation and accountability efforts for international crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime continue at UN level.
- It calls for a reformed and strengthened OHCHR examination of the human rights situation in Belarus and for preserving the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus.
- It echoes the OHCHR recommendation to further accountability through national proceedings based on extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction.
- It calls on Member States to ensure sufficient resources for the investigation of universal jurisdiction cases.
Who is affected
- Belarusian opposition activists and their family members, who face mass arrests and detentions.
- Belarusians fleeing political repression, who would benefit from simplified visa and residence permit procedures.
- Belarusians in the EU whose identity documents are about to expire and cannot be renewed without returning to Belarus.
- Member States, which are asked to simplify procedures, prepare rules on statelessness, and ensure resources for universal jurisdiction cases.
- The Commission, which is asked to simplify visa and residence permit procedures.
Figures and deadlines
- over 200 family members of political prisoners and former political prisoners targeted in January 2024 raids, interrogations and detentions
- 15 days of so-called administrative detention for Maryna Adamovich for “petty hooliganism”
- 25 January, when Belarusian authorities launched a criminal investigation into a group of twenty analysts, journalists and commentators
- 25 February, the date of the parliamentary “elections”
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 27 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 17 paragraphs
B90110
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on The new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members
(2024/2550(RSP))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Belarus,
– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,
whereas in January 2024, the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) officers carried out raids, interrogations and detentions targeting over 200 family members of political prisoners and former political prisoners on trumped up “extremism” related charges;
whereas, notably, Maryna Adamovich, spouse of jailed activist Mikalai Statkevich, was placed in so-called administrative detention for 15 days for “petty hooliganism”;
whereas many other detentions are reportedly connected to the INeedHelpBY project, an initiative providing food to those financially impacted by politically-motivated repression, which has been outlawed by the authorities as “extremist”;
whereas on 25 January the Belarusian authorities launched a criminal investigation into a group of twenty analysts, journalists and commentators now outside the country, accusing them of “conspiring to seize power and promote extremism”, as well as providing support and expertise to the office of Svialtana Tsikhanouskaya;
whereas this most recent wave of repression by the Lukashenka regime against its critics and potential political opponents are taking place just weeks ahead of the parliamentary “elections” on 25 February;
Condemns the recent wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members as the Lukashenko regime continues the grand scale political persecution of its own population and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners;
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Continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus; reiterates its non-recognition of the election of Aleksandr Lukashenka as president of Belarus, and denounces the continuing repression of democratic forces, free media and civil society through politically motivated show trials;
Reiterates its call on the Commission and Member States to simplify the procedures for obtaining visas and residence permits for those fleeing Belarus for political reasons, as well as to prepare rules and procedures to deal with cases of statelessness, as well as to provide support for those Belarusians residing in the EU whose identity documents are about to expire and who have no means of renewing them without returning to Belarus;
Calls on Member States to ensure that the documentation and accountability efforts for international crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime are continued at UN level with a reformed and strengthened OHCHR examination of the human rights situation in Belarus and by preserving the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus for continued scrutiny over ongoing human rights violations;
Echoes the recommendation by OHCHR to further accountability through national proceedings based on accepted principles of extraterritorial and universal jurisdiction and calls on Member States to ensure sufficient resources for the investigation of universal jurisdiction cases;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, OHCHR, the representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and the authorities of Belarus.