EU vows to support Belarusians’ quest for democracy

October 27, Pozirk. The European Union is “determined to address” the human rights situation in Belarus, its statement says.

Released in response to the report by Anaïs Marin, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, it stressed the EU’s intentions to support Belarusians “in their legitimate quest for democracy.”

A new consultative group with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society set up in June will help shape EU actions towards Belarus, it noted.

The Belarusian authorities have been involved in “a widespread crackdown,” targeting civil society, opposition, media workers, national minorities, trade unions and human rights groups, the statement said.

Recent amendments to legislation are “alarming” and “shrink Belarus’ civic space and silence any critical voices,” it noted.

The EU is also “gravely concerned” over the latest reports of “documented violations that may amount to crimes against humanity,” the statement stressed.

The authorities’ support of Russia’s war on Ukraine, their involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children and deployment of Russian nuclear arms in Belarus have “destabilizing effects on the region and further undermine Belarus’ independence,” the EU stressed.

It urged the authorities to release and rehabilitate all people imprisoned on politically-motivated charges and stop the persecution of civil society, reiterating the call to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and to start cooperating with international human rights monitoring mechanisms.