MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the continuing repression of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus

22.11.2022 - (2022/2956(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Željana Zovko, Miriam Lexmann, Andrzej Halicki, Michael Gahler, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Christian Sagartz, Loránt Vincze, Vladimír Bilčík, Krzysztof Hetman, Magdalena Adamowicz, Andrey Kovatchev, Gheorghe Falcă, David Lega, Tomasz Frankowski, Adam Jarubas, Sandra Kalniete, Seán Kelly, Antonio López‑Istúriz White, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Vangelis Meimarakis, Luděk Niedermayer, Stanislav Polčák, Sara Skyttedal, Eugen Tomac, Tom Vandenkendelaere, Tomáš Zdechovský
on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0508/2022

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B9‑0532/2022

European Parliament resolution on the continuing repression of the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus

(2022/2956(RSP))

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on Belarus,

-  having regard to the European Council conclusions of 21-22 October 2021,

-  having regard to multiple human rights organisations’ reports,

-  having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

 

1. whereas the Belarusian regime is running a repression campaign against civil society and human rights defenders aiming to silence all remaining independent voices in Belarus; whereas more than  40 000 Belarusians are estimated to have been detained at some point for protesting against the regime; whereas human rights defenders, opposition politicians, civil society, artists, independent journalists and other activists are systematically subjected to violent repression;
2. whereas in Belarus there are ever-increasing crackdowns on Belarus’ widely supported pro-democratic opposition movement; whereas last month a Hrodna Regional Court handed down a 25-year sentence to political activist, Mikalai Autukhovich, on fully fabricated charges that included high treason; whereas this is the longest-ever prison sentence imposed upon an opponent of the Lukashenka regime; whereas Mr Autukhovich, who conducted a hunger strike over the summer, was beaten and tortured from the start of his incarceration;
3. whereas eleven other defendants in the case, together with Mr Autukhovich are referred to as the ‘Autukhovich twelve’, were sentenced to a combined 169.5 years in prison was passed in verdict; whereas;  some of detained  were repeatedly placed in solitary confinement after their families had reported violent treatment and even tortures of the prisoners by the prison guards,;
4. whereas Belarusian courts have delivered to much more than hundreds unfair and arbitrary verdicts in politically motivated trials in the ‘round dance’ case, often held behind closed doors and without due process of law;
5. whereas representatives of the democratic opposition parties (including, Pavel Seviarynets, Mikalai Kazlou, Antanina Kavaleva, Aksana Alyakseeva, Tatsiana and Dzmitry Kaneuski, Ihar Salavei, Pavel Spiryn, Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh, Aliaksandr Agraitsovich, Pavel Belavus, Andrei Kudzik, Mikolai Siarhienka, Ramuald Ulan, Aliaksandr Nahela, Andrei Kabanau, Artur Smaliakou, Andrei Asmalouski, Dziana Charnushyna) continue to be incarcerated in inhuman conditions;

 

1. Continues to stand firmly in solidarity with the people of Belarus as well as with the members of democratic opposition who continue to stand up for a free and democratic Belarus;
2. Strongly condemns unjustified and politically motivated sentences handed down to members of ‘Autukhovich twelve’;
3. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the ‘Autukhovich twelve’, as well as almost 1500 other political prisoners currently held by the Lukashenka’s regime;
4. Calls on the EU institutions to prepare and implement further sanctions packages that should be based on the methodology that Lukashenka is a war criminal and must be brought to justice by an International Tribunal;
5. Calls on the Belarusian institutions to provide clear information on the whereabouts and the health situation of the detainees arrested on political grounds; and to withdraw from any tortures and bad treatment of the prisoners related to the ‘Autukhovich twelve’;
6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the authorities of the Republic of Belarus and of the Russian Federation, and to the representatives of the Belarusian democratic opposition.