MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Belarus
10.5.2011
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Elmar Brok, Jacek Protasiewicz, Cristian Dan Preda, Filip Kaczmarek, Mario Mauro, Michael Gahler, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, Bernd Posselt, Tunne Kelam, Monica Luisa Macovei, Elena Băsescu, Sari Essayah, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Agnès Le Brun, Eija-Riitta Korhola, Martin Kastler, Dominique Baudis, Bogusław Sonik on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0334/2011
B7‑0336/2011
European Parliament resolution on Belarus
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its many previous resolutions on Belarus, in particular the most recent one of 10 March 2011,
– having regard to the statement by the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton on 18 February 2011, on the conviction and sentencing of a Belarusian opposition representative and having regard to the statement by the spokesperson of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on 10 April 2011, on the crackdown on independent media in Belarus,
– having regard to Council Decision 2011/69/CFSP of 31 January 2011 amending Council Decision 2010/639/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus,
– having regard to Resolution 1790 (2011) of 27 January 2011 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the situation in Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential election,
– having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the presidential candidates: Ales Mikhalevich, Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu, Vital Rymasheuski, Andrey Sannikau, Mikalay Statkevich, Grigory Kostusev and Dimitrji Uss, as well as their campaign chiefs, in particular: Pavel Seviarynets, Vladimir Kobets, Sergey Martselev are currently facing trials resulting potentially in sentences of up to 15 years imprisonment;
B. whereas a large number of the opposition representatives, journalists and human rights defenders, were arrested in the aftermath of the presidential elections in Belarus and have remained detained in prisons and under house arrests since then; whereas acts of repression and politically-motivated trials against them have taken place, with more than 40 persons charged and facing prison terms of up to 15 years,
C. whereas Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, Aliaksandr Malchanau, Dzmitry Novik, Vasil Parfiankou, members of the electoral campaign teams of democratic opposition candidates Uladzimir Niakliayeu and Andrei Sannikau; Mikita Likhavid, member of the "For Freedom" movement; Ales Kirkevich, Zmister Dashkevich, Eduard Lobau the Young Front activists; Paval Vinahradau an activist of the ‘Speak the Truth’ campaign; non-partisan activist Andrei Pratasienya, historian Dzmitry Drozd; protest participant Uladzemir Khamichenka; Dzmitry Bandarenka, a coordinator of the civil campaign European Belarus - were sentenced from one to four years' imprisonment in connection with the demonstrations of 19 December 2010,
D. whereas Ales Mikhalevic, a former presidential candidate, after revealing information about tortures of the political prisoners in the KGB detention centres, left the country and was granted asylum in the Czech Republic,
E. whereas on 25 April 2011 the Ministry of Information in Belarus filed claims with the Supreme Economic Court for the closure of the two independent newspapers "Narodnaya Volia" and "Nasha Niva",
F. whereas Mr. Andrzej Poczobut, journalist of the Belsat television and Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper has been arrested and is facing the charges of up to two years for so-called “insult of President" for the articles he published recently; whereas Mr. Poczobut is recognised by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience,
G. whereas there have been several incidents proving an increasing pressure and harassment of the human rights defenders over past months in Belarus;
1. Strongly condemns all convictions in accordance with the criminal case of "mass riot" and finds them politically-motivated and of questionable nature. Underlines that it has been reported that the authorities failed to prove the guilt of the accused, the trials were held behind closed doors, detainees were refused the opportunity to call their witnesses and to meet discretely and on a regular basis with their legal representation, the lawyers of the accused received several warnings from the Ministry of Justice and some of them have been disbarred; therefore states that the conduct of the trials lacked impartiality;
2. Urges Belarusian authorities to drop all the trials against the presidential candidates as well as other accused in connection with the events of 19th December 2011 and calls for their immediate and unconditional release;
3. Expresses its deep concern over the deteriorating situation of the human rights defenders in Belarus; strongly condemns recent defaming allegations against inter alia Mr Ales Bialiatski, President of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" made by the Belarusian President and several journalists of various state-owned media that "there [was] a fifth column in the country" in their comments concerning the bomb attack in Minsk subway;
4. Deplores recent arrests of 18 people celebrating the birthday of human rights defender Mr Valery Shchukin resulting in a 10-day jail term for one of the participants Mr Aleh Barshchewski, a journalist, and a fine of 700 000 rubels for human rights activist Volha Karach issued on the farfetched charges;
5. Urges the Belarusian authorities to put an end to the obstacles to freedom of movement of the Ukrainian citizens Ms. Marina Tsapok, Mr. Maxim Kitsyuk and Russian citizen Mr. Andrey Yurov - representatives of the Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus, who were denied entry to the territory of Belarus as well as of Mr. Alik Mnatsnakyan and Mrs. Viktoria Gromova, Russian human rights defenders, detained on 4th May 2011 in the office of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" and shortly after deported from Belarus and banned entry for two years;
6. Denounces the systematic process of harassment and intimidations as well as mounting pressure on the independent journalists and media outlets in Belarus; reiterates that growing lack of respect for freedom of the media and freedom of expression contradicts international laws to which Belarus is a party and denies Belarusian society its right to information;
7. Urges the Belarusian authorities in this context to cease the procedure of closing the "Narodnaya Volia" and "Nasha Niva" weeklies which would result in the severe limitation of media pluralism in Belarus, to release and drop all charges against Mr. Andrzej Poczobut, journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper and TV Belsat as well as to refrain in future from misuse of the Mass Media Law against independent journalists;
8. Calls on the Commission, the Council, the EU High Representative and other EU partner countries to extend restrictive measures against the Belarusian regime, including introduction of the targeted economic sanctions while maintaining and intensifying its assistance to the democratic opposition parties and civil society organisations, inter alia via the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights;
9. Stresses that potential EU engagement with Belarus will be subject to strict conditionality and depends on Belarus' commitment to the respect for human rights and rule of law as stated in the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit of 7 May 2009, co-signed by the Belarusian government;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and the Council of Europe and the Parliament and Government of Belarus.