EU, UK demand freedom for Bialacki, Pačobut, other political prisoners
February 16, BPN. Repression by Alaksandr Łukašenka’s regime continues unabated, according to the EU’s statement on political prisoners in Belarus, delivered to the OSCE’s Permanent Council in Vienna on February 16.
The statement reads that at present there are “over 1,440 political prisoners” in the country.
The EU says it is “unacceptable” to persecute “persons belonging to national minorities,” such as Poles living in Belarus.
“Last week, a court in Hrodna pronounced another politically motivated verdict: a Belarusian-Polish journalist and member of the board of the independent Union of Poles in Belarus, Andrzej Poczobut [Andrej Pačobut], was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony on trumped-up charges of ‘incitement to hatred.’ This disgraceful verdict is directed not only against this courageous journalist, but represents yet another act in the anti-Polish campaign of the Belarusian authorities,” it said.
The EU called the ongoing trial against the Viasna human rights group, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Aleś Bialacki, “another alarming step in the violent campaign against civil society.”
“The EU strongly condemns the brutal repression aimed at silencing any independent voices and closing all space for democratic debate. The persecution of civil society, democratic activists and human rights defenders in Belarus must stop. We will continue to support all the people striving for a free, democratic and independent Belarus,” it said.
It urged the Belarusian authorities “to immediately and unconditionally release and rehabilitate all those unlawfully detained, […] to stop violating human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Belarusian people, to engage in a genuine and inclusive dialogue with the democratic forces, and to enable a peaceful political transition to a democratic society.”
British Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown in her statement to the OSCE also called on the Belarusian regime to immediately release all political prisoners.
She mentioned the sentence on Poczobut, pointing that the journalist “is known for his reporting on the anti-Polish nature of Łukašenka’s policies and the treatment of the Polish minority by the Belarusian regime.”
“Thirty-three media representatives are currently imprisoned in Belarus. The safety of journalists is the key to media freedom. We need to hold to account those who threaten and harm journalists around the world,” the ambassador said.
Following the meeting of the Permanent Council, Polish envoy to the OSCE Adam Hałaciński expressed confidence that “Belarus will prevail over totalitarianism.” “This will happen due to the courage of its people, including those imprisoned by the regime. Abuse of power ends with loss of power,” he tweeted.
- PoliticsOpposition leader: regime uses hostages to put pressure on western neighborsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsNGO network forwards evidence of Łukašenka’s crimes to ICCThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsJailed Babaryka Jr to stand another trialThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsReprisals: two Belarusians convicted for disrupting Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsNGOs attempted a coup in 2020 – Belarusian ambassador claimsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyGeorgia did not satisfy a single asylum request from Belarusians in 2019–2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus reports death of a foreigner at Latvian borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- EconomyBelarus officials, entrepreneurs discussing ways to improve business conditionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyGovernment brands 30 people as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUkraine's outgoing envoy: democratic change possible in Belarus after Russia's defeatThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBiełaruski Hajun shuts down after security breachThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja asks Albania to use UN to help Belarusian political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusians net sellers of foreign currency in JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ foreign exchange reserves up 4.6 percent in JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition, Pact of Free Cities agree on self-government training for BelarusiansThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyOfficials boast expanding cell service coverage in 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics
- EconomyGovernment cuts export duties on selected oil products by 60 percentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: data breach of opposition chat fuels evacuation requestsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- EconomyRussia’s Lada outsells China's Geely in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsHuman rights activists designate 16 as former political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLocal officials to approve appointments of CEOs to private companiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsOpposition politician Łatuška meets with Dutch ambassador in WarsawThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCIS states debate AI regulationsThe material is available only to POZIRK+