BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
22/05/2008
Call for Belarus to release political prisoners and end intimidation of the opposition
MEPs urge the Belarusian authorities to release political prisoner Aliaksandr Kazulin and to stop using intimidation and politically motivated prosecutions against activists of the democratic opposition and civil society. The House expresses solidarity with the democratic opposition of Belarus in a resolution adopted this Thursday.
The House condemns the sentences given to Syarhei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim on 22 and 23 April 2008 in Minsk for their participation in the entrepreneurs' demonstrations of 10 January 2008. They also deplore the reportedly excessive force used by Belarusian security forces against and the arrests of peaceful citizens gathered in Minsk on 25 March 2008 to mark the ninetieth anniversary of the Foundation of the Independent Belarusian People's Republic.
MEPs urge the Belarusian authorities to release immediately and unconditionally the remaining political prisoner, Aliaksandr Kazulin, and to stop using intimidation, harassment, targeted arrests and politically motivated prosecutions against activists of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus.
On 21 November 2006 the European Union declared its readiness to renew its relationship with Belarus and its people within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy as soon as the Belarusian Government demonstrates respect for democratic values and for the basic rights of the Belarusian people, recalls the resolution.
Belarus is the only country in Europe which still has the death penalty.
Upcoming parliamentary elections
The House urges the Belarusian authorities fully to implement OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) standards in the organisation of the parliamentary elections scheduled for autumn 2008.
Source:
Archive
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