Belarus’ human rights situation discussed in Brussels
Belarus’ human rights situation has been discussed in Brussels. Civil society representatives Zhanna Litvina (ex-chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists) and Ales Bialiatski (human rights defender and ex-political prisoner) suggested that the EU not decrease the level of monitoring of the human rights situation in our country and continue exercising pressure on the authorities in Minsk. They met with Deputy Secretary General for the External Action Service Helga Schmid, European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights Stavros Lambrinidis and the Ambassadors of the European Union's Political and Security Committee.
"No positive changes have followed the release of political prisoners in Belarus in August 2015, Belarusian human rights defenders noted. The presidential election was organized with numerous violations and was rigged in October,” the website spring96.org reports.
The human rights and democracy problems in Belarus are systematic: pressure is being exercised on activists and journalists, people are getting sentenced to death and organizations are being refused registration. Bialiatski and Litvina urged the EU to adopt and publish the plan of ‘top priority measures aimed at the progress in the human rights sphere expected to be taken by the Belarusian authorities’ and to discuss ‘the roadmap’ of this plan.
The European Union will make a decision about the sanctions imposed on a number of Belarusian officials responsible for violations of human rights and the falsification of election results in the middle of February. The sanctions have been suspended for several months. The Belarusian authorities are hoping that the sanctions will be cancelled.
