EU strongly condemns latest crackdown in Belarus

January 25, Pozirk. The government of Alaksandar Łukašenka “continues its deplorable tactics of intimidation and repression against its critics and potential political opponents ahead of the ‘elections’ in February,” the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said in a statement. “The European Union condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent wave of repression against former political prisoners remaining in Belarus, as well as relatives of political prisoners.”

“The raids and searches by the regime’s security apparatus affected more than 100 people, many of whom have been arrested,” Borrell said. He called on Belarusian authorities “to refrain from any further repression and violence directed against the Belarusian people, and to comply with Belarus’ international human rights obligations, including by releasing immediately and unconditionally all those arbitrarily detained and ceasing abusive prosecutions.”

“The EU stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus and will continue to support them on their way to an independent and democratic country,” he said. “Belarusian citizens deserve the right to be represented by those they freely choose through transparent, free and fair elections.”

A wave of searches and arrests swept across the country on January 23. Some of the arrests were related to an extremist designation for the INeedHelpBY nonprofit that was helping repression victims with food.

Also, authorities arrested Maryna Adamovič, the wife of social democratic leader Mikałaj Statkievič, who is serving a 14-year prison sentence on charges denounced as politically motivated by rights activists.

According to the latest reports from human rights defenders, the crackdown hit at least 159 people.