On March 15, the European Parliament approved a resolution on increasing repression and human rights violations in Belarus.

In the document received by Svoboda, it is noted that criminal prosecution remains one of the most severe forms of repression.

MEPs separately considered the criminal prosecution of human rights defenders "Viasna".

On March 3, Nobel laureate, human rights defender, writer

Ales Bialiatski

was sentenced to 10 years in prison, his fellow human rights defenders

Valentin Stefanovich

,

Vladimir Labkovych

and

Dmitriy Solovyov

were sentenced to 7 to 9 years in prison.

SEE ALSO: Former US President Clinton condemned Bialiatsky's sentence

The resolution states that Belarusian journalists remain among those who suffer the most from Lukashenka's regime.

To date, more than 30 journalists are in prisons;

at least 29 independent media were declared "extremist" and blocked by the authorities.

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, public discourse is almost completely stifled, and mass media are severely repressed.

SEE ALSO: Journalists behind bars

The document mentioned the court proceedings in absentia, which were initiated against the leaders of the democratic forces of Belarus.

On March 6, the Minsk City Court sentenced the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition and the chairman of the United Transitional Cabinet Svetlana Tikhanovskaya

to 15 years in absentia

, as well as other members of the Coordination Council.

SEE ALSO: Tikhonovskaya's sentence: harsh, but in absentia.

Lukashenka miscalculated twice

The European Parliament noted that persecution under the guise of fighting extremism and terrorism is intensifying in Belarus.

In January 2022, amendments to the Criminal Code of Belarus came into force, which restore criminal liability for participation in the activities of unregistered organizations.

In May 2022, the authorities expanded the use of the maximum penalty for attempted terrorist acts.

The European Parliament draws attention to the fact that Lukashenka's regime has intensified repressive measures against national minorities in Belarus, in particular Polish and Lithuanian, including by closing schools in the languages ​​of national minorities, as well as against organizations representing them, such as the Union of Poles of Belarus.

It is noted that systematic discrimination of Polish and other national minorities has been occurring for many years, an example of which is the persecution of

Anzhalika Boris

and

Andrzej Pachobut

.

SEE ALSO: UN Rapporteur Anais Maren: "After 2020, Belarusians became record holders for applications to the UN Human Rights Committee"

The document notes that Lukashenka's regime continues the policy of Russification of Belarus with the strategic goal of marginalization and destruction of Belarusian national identity, including language and culture.

In addition, MEPs said that more than two years after the events of 2020, there are no signs that Belarusian authorities are investigating thousands of reports of police brutality or killings of protesters.

The parliamentarians noted that the Belarusian authorities continue to support Russia's unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, allowing Russia to use Belarusian territory for military attacks on Ukraine.

Among other things, many citizens of Belarus were prosecuted for expressing support for Ukraine, criticizing the government for supporting Russia's aggressive war, or for passing on information about the movement of Russian troops and military equipment in Belarus.

SEE ALSO: Lukashenka's fantasies.

An accomplice to aggression wants to be a peacemaker again

Conclusions of the resolution of the European Parliament

  • The European Parliament strongly condemns the systematic repression of the Lukashenka regime against the people of Belarus.

  • Condemns the detention and sentence of Andrzej Pachobut and the sentence of Ales Bialiatski, Valyantyn Stefanovich, Zmyter Solovyov and Wladimir Labkovich

  • Condemns the sentencing in absentia of Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition and the chairman of the United Transitional Cabinet, as well as other members of the Coordination Council.

  • Condemns the intense pressure and persecution of trade unions;

    condemns the politically motivated sentences of independent trade union leaders.

  • Condemns the persecution of Polish, Lithuanian and other national minorities in Belarus and their representatives.

  • Condemns the Law "On Citizenship", signed by Lukashenka, which opens the possibility of depriving Belarusians living abroad of their citizenship.

  • Repeats its strong condemnation of Belarus' participation in Russia's unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine;

    condemns the militant rhetoric of the Lukashenka regime against Ukraine.

  • He notes with concern the continuation of the so-called integration of Russia and Belarus, which amounts to actual occupation, the progressive militarization of Belarus and the region, including through the presence of Russian troops in Belarus.

  • Calls on EU countries to expand and strengthen sanctions against individuals and legal entities responsible for repression in Belarus.

  • Calls on the institutions of the European Union to provide support and protection to human rights defenders and the civil society of Belarus who are facing severe repressions, including by issuing emergency visas for leaving Belarus.

  • Condemns the efforts of Lukashenka's regime to destroy Belarusian culture and pursue a policy of Russification of the Belarusian people.

SEE ALSO: The law on the death penalty for "treason" was published.

The main provisions