Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On the eve of the 4th anniversary of the deceitful presidential elections in Belarus, the European Union called for the prompt and unconditional freedom of all political prisoners and unjustly detained people.
What Is the EU’s Response to Belarus’s Political Repression?
“Four years ago, on 9 August, the people of Belarus took to the roads to peacefully protest against the fraudulent presidential elections and Lukashenka’s endeavour to take away their right to decide their fate,” EU High Representative Josep Borrell stated in a statement. “Since then, and despite violent repression, the Belarusian people have repeatedly and bravely stood up for their human rights and their country’s democratic future.”
How Many Political Prisoners Are Currently Detained in Belarus?
Borrell said that the Lukashenka regime had reacted with a massive campaign of violence and oppression against its people, with approximately 1,400 political prisoners currently in detention.Â
What Actions Has the Lukashenka Regime Taken Against Opponents?
“Lukashenka projected a total crackdown against the Belarusian civil society, human rights defenders, free media and journalists, political adversaries, independent trade unionists, representatives of national minorities, and ultimately against all ordinary residents expressing their views, both in and outside the country,” Borrell stated.Â
“At least six political prisoners lost their lives in captivity, and many have been held incommunicado for more than a year. Some of the prisoners have life-threatening conditions and require urgent medical assistance.”
What Does the Latest UN Report Say About Belarus?
Borrell also cited the latest report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which says that “there are reasonable grounds to think that the crime of persecution, which is a crime against humanity, may have been committed in Belarus”.Â
How Has Belarusian Repression Impacted Civil Society and Media?
Borrell also expressed that Belarusian sovereignty and identity were increasingly in danger. He reminded that in expansion to wide-scale domestic repression, the Belarusian government has been involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, including the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. Since 2021, the regime has also directed migration pressure on the EU’s external borders.
For all this, the EU has set several rounds of sanctions against the regime and its backers, with the latest additions on 5 August. Altogether, 261 individuals and 37 entities and bodies are presently subject to EU individual restrictive measures.Â
Borrell stated the EU remained united in its backing of the brave people of Belarus and the Belarusian democratic movement and was willing to activate a Comprehensive Plan of Economic Support of up to €3 billion to sustain the country on its democratic path. “We will continue to ensure that the voices of the Belarusian people are heard,” Borrell stated.
