Doslovno izvješće

Srijeda, 7. veljače 2024. - Strasbourg

19.1. Novi val masovnih uhićenja oporbenih aktivista i članova njihovih obitelji u Bjelarusu

  Przewodnicząca. – Kolejnym punktem porządku dziennego jest debata nad sześcioma projektami rezolucji w sprawie nowej fali masowych aresztowań działaczy opozycji i członków ich rodzin na Białorusi (2024/2550(RSP)).

  Miriam Lexmann, author. – Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, let me begin by thanking colleagues from across this House for cooperation on this resolution. The cruelty of the Lukashenka regime knows no bounds, and we continue to observe that the treatment of political prisoners in Belarus continues to worsen.

The arrest of family members, in particular wives and mothers, is a new low even for this regime. Maryna Adamavich, Tatsiana Sevyarynets, Darya Losik and all their loved ones must be released. This evil needs to stop!

The European Union must continue to strengthen its sanction regimes against Lukashenka and his henchmen. We must also do more to speak out for the political prisoners on the highest level, and to support their family members through different mechanisms and schemes.

Finally, we must ensure that all these crimes are thoroughly documented, and Lukashenka and the representatives of the regime will be one day held accountable. Thank you very much and zhyve Belarus!

  Juozas Olekas, Autorius. – Pirmininke, Komisijos nare, gerbiami kolegos. Sausio 23-iąją Lukašenkos režimas ir vėl pademonstravo visišką žmogaus teisių ir tarptautinių normų nepaisymą. Baltarusijos saugumo pajėgos nusitaikė į politinių kalinių šeimų narius. Tarp sulaikytųjų dauguma moterys – žmonos, motinos. Taip bandoma dar labiau įbauginti visuomenę prieš vasario 25-ąją rengiamus, o tiksliau – vaidinamus, parlamento ir savivaldos rinkimus.

Todėl būtina, kad Europos Sąjunga toliau stiprintų sankcijas Baltarusijai už žmogaus teisių pažeidimus. Kiekvienas režimo atstovas turi pajusti, kad kiekvienas nusižengimas žmogiškumui grįš jam bumerangu naujų sankcijų ir suvaržymų pavidalu.

Europos Sąjunga taip pat turi sustiprinti pagalbą Baltarusijos pilietinei visuomenei, o politinių kalinių ir jų šeimų narių reabilitacijai ir pagalbai turi būti įsteigtas specialus fondas.

Žyvie Belarus!

  Petras Auštrevičius, author. – Madam President, Madam Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Lukashenka regime continues trampling on the basic human rights of Belarusians and selling the country’s sovereignty to the Kremlin.

Its anger is directed against critics and free thinkers who aspire a different future for Belarus, a democratic and European future. The arrest of Maryna Adamavich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, as well as the wives and mothers of other political prisoners, demands an appropriate response from the European Union. We must also react to the nuclear dangers posed by the Lukashenka regime, such as unsafe nuclear power plant in Astravets and the deployment of the Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus.

I call on the EU High Representative, Mr Borrell, to take an active role in reducing the number of Belarusian diplomats in Brussels and to ensure that a number of Belarusian physical and legal persons, enablers of Lukashenka regime are included in the EU’s 13th sanctions package.

  Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Verfasserin. – Frau Präsidentin, Frau Kommissarin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Die Belarussen waren die ersten, die sich gegen Putin wehrten, indem sie zu Tausenden friedlich gegen Lukaschenko demonstrierten. Nur mit Mut und Freiheitsliebe ausgestattet, marschierten sie durch die Straßen, verteilten Blumen und weiß-rote Fahnen. Sie wurden von Lukaschenkos Miliz brutal niedergeschlagen, und die Unterdrückung hält bis heute an. Aktuell sehen wir überall Massenverhaftungen – vor allem gezielt gegen die weiblichen Angehörigen der politischen Gefangenen eingesetzt.

Lukaschenko jagt jeden und alles, was ihm verdächtig erscheint. Er befiehlt seinem Militär sogar, auf unbewaffnete Zivilisten zu schießen – ein klares Zeichen für den grausamen Wahn. In der verkehrten Welt des Diktators sind Spenden für die Freiheit ein Zeichen für Extremismus. Zivilcourage ist Verrat und Friedensliebe Terrorismus.

Lukaschenko hat die Besten der Besten in den Kerker geworfen – Intellektuelle, Journalistinnen, Menschenrechtsanwälte, Unternehmerinnen, Wissenschaftlerinnen. In der Zwischenzeit hat er Belarus an Putin verkauft und es zu einer brutalen Waffe gegen die Ukraine gemacht.

Aktuell plant Lukaschenko die nächste Farce: Wahlen – an denen demokratische Kräfte gar nicht teilnehmen dürfen. Ja, Lukaschenkos Regime wird zusammenbrechen, sobald Putin fällt. Aber darauf alleine sollten wir uns nicht verlassen. Wir können mehr tun, um Lukaschenko für all die Verbrechen, die er in den letzten 27 Jahren begangen hat, zur Rechenschaft zu ziehen.

Es ist an der Zeit, entschlossen zu handeln und Sanktionen zu verhängen, die ihm und seinen Helfershelfern wirklich wehtun. Žyvie Bielaruś!

  Anna Fotyga, author. – Madam President, methods used by the Lukashenka regime against the Belarusian opposition are well known from our regional, painful past. The recent crackdown on hundreds of closest family members, wives, mothers, daughters, other relatives of the most prominent leader, political leaders of opposition, as well as on Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s closest co-workers, against Polish community members resemble those methods used by Bolsheviks and Stalinists. We have to stand by all of them and demand immediate, unconditional release of all prisoners, cessation of all hostilities. And we have to remember that Belarus is our closest neighbour.

VORSITZ: RAINER WIELAND
Vizepräsident

  Helmut Scholz, Verfasser. – Herr Präsident, Frau Kommissarin, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Am 25. Februar sollen die Bürgerinnen und Bürger von Belarus wählen. Auf diesen Tag hat die Lukaschenko-Administration sowohl die Parlaments- als auch die Kommunalwahl gelegt. Bereits jetzt ist klar: Von freien Wahlen kann keine Rede sein.

Denn allen ist klar, was die politische Realität in dem Land kennzeichnet: das Verbot und die Auflösung aller Oppositionsparteien; die im Januar und Februar wiederholte und verschärfte – wiederholte und willkürliche – Verhaftung und Vertreibung hunderter Oppositioneller, Journalisten und Journalistinnen – einschließlich ihrer Angehörigen, insbesondere der weiblichen; stetig verschärfte Repressionen gegen aktive Gewerkschaften, Medien, Kunst und Kultur; eine Atmosphäre der Einschüchterung und Verunsicherung vieler Menschen im Land; das Unrecht gegenüber mindestens 1 500 politischen Gefangenen – viele von ihnen schwer krank und misshandelt.

All dies sind Angriffe auf international verbriefte persönliche und politische Rechte der Menschen in Belarus. Und die Einschüchterung soll weiter vorangetrieben werden. Wir sagen deshalb laut und deutlich: Dieser Irrfahrt muss ein Ende gesetzt werden! Statt Machterhalt für das Regime muss es wieder um Zukunftsperspektiven, um ein souveränes und demokratisches Belarus gehen.

Bleiben wir gerade deshalb in Kontakt mit den Menschen im Land, mit der belarussischen Gesellschaft. Nutzen wir die wenigen noch bleibenden Brückenpfeiler, um all jene im Land zu unterstützen, die einen Weg aus der aktuellen Sackgasse gehen wollen. Setzen wir all unser Gewicht ein, damit die konkreten Belange der Menschen im Land nicht vergessen werden.

  Eugen Tomac, în numele grupului PPE. – Domnule președinte, doamnă comisară, stimați colegi, felicit autorii pentru această inițiativă. Este extrem de important să le transmitem cetățenilor din Belarus că Uniunea Europeană a rămas alături de ei, alături de aspirațiile lor și evident că trebuie să facem mai mult pentru a-i asigura că libertatea, drepturile omului, dreptul la asociere, libertatea de exprimare și garanția că jurnaliștii trebuie să-și facă datoria într-o societate liberă sunt valori pe care Belarus le va îmbrățișa într-o zi.

Este limpede că acest criminal, care se află practic într-o competiție continuă cu cei de la Kremlin, face tot ce-i stă în putință pentru a comite orori, pentru a umili cetățeni, pentru a reprima opoziția și este de datoria noastră să îi asigurăm că suntem alături și că vom face tot ceea ce trebuie pentru ca Lukașenko într-o zi să răspundă pentru toate aceste crime.

  Isabel Santos, em nome do Grupo S&D. – Senhor Presidente, a pena de morte, a tortura, o tratamento desumano e degradante são marcas negras do regime de Lukashenko.

Mais de 1 500 pessoas continuam detidas desde as eleições de 2020. Entretanto, os familiares destes presos políticos estão a ser perseguidos e detidos nos últimos tempos.

Daqui a poucos dias, a Bielorrússia irá a eleições, mais uma vez. E, mais uma vez, eleições-fantoche, eleições que não passam de um ato de fachada para o qual a OSCE ou a OSCE-ODIR não foram convidadas. Pois claro, convém fazer eleições à porta fechada, longe dos olhares dos observadores internacionais.

Todos sabemos que este ato eleitoral não tem as mínimas condições, porque não há condições mínimas de democraticidade quando os opositores estão detidos e os partidos estão liquidados.

Resta-nos apoiar a sociedade civil e sancionar fortemente Lukashenko.

  Karin Karlsbro, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, Commission, colleagues. Three and a half years ago, the people of Belarus took to the streets demanding democracy and human dignity. They displayed immense courage, standing up against the regime. Thousands of Belarusians paid for their bravery with their freedom. On 23 January this year, at least 200 citizens were arrested by Lukashenka’s security forces, most of them family members of already imprisoned opposition figures. That is happening now, and it’s no coincidence. At the end of February, Belarus is organising the spectacle that the regime refers to as ‘an election’. But it’s certainly not an election. It’s an act of abuse and as such it must be scrutinised. We must still support free Belarus and all the political prisoners have to be released.

  Heidi Hautala, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, Commissioner, since February 2023 the authorities have prevented Maria Kolesnikova, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Viktar Babaryka, Mikalai Statkevich and other prominent political prisoners from communicating with their lawyers and families. And now the Belarusian opposition is faced with a new wave of mass arrests, including their family members. This must be condemned. All the 1 500 political prisoners must be immediately released.

There is more we can do in our partnership with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the opposition. She is calling us for making our relationship closer with the democratic Belarus. We can bring our relationship to a new level. We must support Belarusian democratic forces in trying to find a situation where the EU can issue the passports to the Belarusian democratic forces in exile, so that they can travel. Indeed, she is a very good partner to us and we must continue to tighten our relationship with her.

  Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Panie Przewodniczący! Panie Komisarzu! Ostatnie naloty i przeszukiwania domów więźniów politycznych przez reżimowy aparat bezpieczeństwa doprowadziły do aresztowania ponad 200 osób. Według Centrum Praw Człowieka „Viasnaˮ większość zatrzymanych to żony i matki więźniów politycznych, w tym chociażby na przykład pani Maryna Adamowicz, żona więźnia politycznego, byłego kandydata na prezydenta i laureata Nagrody Sacharowa Mikołaja Statkiewicza.

Kraje Unii Europejskiej nie tylko winny być zbulwersowane tym okrucieństwem, ale także powinny wezwać do natychmiastowego, bezwarunkowego uwolnienia zatrzymanych krewnych więźniów politycznych.

W tym samym czasie do sprawy 20 znanych białoruskich politologów, dziennikarzy i ekspertów, tzw. analityków Cichanouskiej, dodano dodatkowe zarzuty. Są oni sądzeni zaocznie i mogą zostać pozbawieni białoruskiego obywatelstwa, jeśli zostaną skazani.

Te przestępstwa muszą spotkać się z dodatkową reakcją Unii Europejskiej i całego cywilizowanego świata w postaci zwiększonej presji na reżim w formie sankcji. Skala naruszeń praw człowieka na Białorusi jest tak duża, że według Wysokiego Komisarza ONZ ds. Praw Człowieka niektóre z tych czynów można uznać za zbrodnie przeciwko ludzkości.

  Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, blitz nella notte, interrogatori in condizioni disumane, lavori forzati, ritorsioni sui familiari e su chiunque abbia offerto aiuto ai quasi 1 500 detenuti politici. Il modus operandi del comitato di sicurezza statale bielorusso, il tristemente noto KGB, ricorda spaventosamente bene quello del suo omonimo predecessore.

La complicità attiva di Lukashenko nella criminale invasione dell'Ucraina è la prova inconfutabile di quanto ancora oggi dobbiamo combattere. Ecco perché chiedo con forza al Consiglio e a tutti gli Stati membri di imporre immediatamente ulteriori sanzioni a quanti si macchiano quotidianamente di questi crimini intollerabili, calpestando i diritti umani, e di profondere ogni sforzo per assicurare che i colpevoli vadano di fronte alla Corte penale internazionale.

La Bielorussia non può essere relegata a una periferia sottomessa alle criminali ambizioni imperiali di Mosca. Di questo Putin e Lukashenko devono stare assolutamente certi. Noi ci batteremo al fianco della sua società civile fino a quando non sarà un libero e democratico Stato membro dell'Unione europea, fino a quando la bandiera rossa e bianca non sventolerà a Minsk. La vostra libertà è la nostra libertà.

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, opět se důrazně zastáváme běloruských občanů, pronásledovaných členů opozice, novinářů, jejich rodin a vlastně celé běloruské občanské společnosti. Důrazně odsuzujeme další vlnu hromadného zatýkání v Bělorusku. Naléhavě vyzýváme nelegitimní Lukašenkův režim, aby zastavil represe. Režim musí jednoznačně bezpodmínečně propustit všechny neoprávněné vězněné, více než 1 400 politických vězňů.

Žádáme Radu a Komisi, aby reagovaly uvalením přísnějších sankcí na Lukašenkův režim v důsledku nedávných akcí, včetně sankcí proti zboží zahrnujícímu nucenou práci politických vězňů, přísnějších finančních sankcí a sankcí vůči jednotlivcům odpovědným za závažné porušování lidských práv. Běloruská opozice ani běloruští občané nejsou sami. My jsme s nimi, ale důrazně odsuzujeme běloruský nelegitimní Lukašenkův režim.

  Leszek Miller (S&D). – Panie Przewodniczący! Panie Komisarzu! Koleżanki i Koledzy! Ponieważ na Białorusi zbliżają się wybory parlamentarne i samorządowe, reżim w Mińsku postanowił po raz kolejny pokazać Europie i światu, że żadne standardy demokratyczne ani prawa człowieka w tym kraju nie obowiązują. Ponieważ liderzy opozycji, a właściwie wszyscy ci, którzy w jakikolwiek sposób sprzeciwili się Łukaszence, siedzą już w więzieniach, to reżim postanowił także represjami objąć rodziny. Większość z 200 zatrzymanych ostatnio to matki i żony więźniów politycznych. To bezprzykładny przejaw skrajnego okrucieństwa w stosunku do własnych obywateli, w stosunku do narodu białoruskiego. Najwyższy czas, żeby ilość rezolucji Parlamentu Europejskiego dotyczących Białorusi, a przyjmowaliśmy tych rezolucji wiele, zaczęła przechodzić w jakość, a konkretnie w działania państw Unii Europejskiej. Same wezwania, kolejne deklaracje i potępienia reżimu w Mińsku, jak widać, nie wystarczą.

  Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, the fraud elections in Belarus are coming. One would think Lukashenka gives up this charade after 30 years, but no, he has to pretend he still has power over the country.

And thus the authorities got inspired in Russia and North Korea, I guess, and intensified their oppression of journalists, lawyers, activists and even families of those who ran away. As if people in Belarus would not know, without mass protests in the streets, that the system is rigged and Lukashenka should be out. As if we here in the European Union could acknowledge his regime this time around if only he silenced all opposition.

No, no, no, no, no! Our sanctions will remain. Our support to opposition remains, and our help to get people out and grant them asylum and support remains. Let’s have a coordinated response at the European level. Lukashenkas and Putins of this world shall soon run out of breath. The civil society shall prevail.

Spontane Wortmeldungen

  Seán Kelly (PPE). – Mr President, we have been bearing witness to Lukashenka’s regime increasingly close further and further in on civic space in Belarus and this latest wave of mass arrests and arbitrary detentions on trumped-up charges further proves his determination to crack down on any fundamental freedoms which remain in the country and tighten his authoritative grip over the people of Belarus.

The rights to freedom of expression, of assembly and freedom against torture and arbitrary detention are bastions of a democratic and free society, and rights which the European Union has committed itself to protecting. We have a duty, therefore, to stand up against these injustices against the people of Belarus when we see them.

So, I reiterate the resolution’s call for decisive and immediate action from the High Representative, Mr Borrell, and the Council to place sanctions on the Lukashenka regime in Belarus, which, after all, he has turned into only a vassal state of Putin’s.

  Karen Melchior (Renew). – Mr President, the title of the resolution is ‘on the new wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family’. It’s not really new, just a new wave of mass arrests. It’s Lukashenka’s election campaign. It’s not a coincidence that it comes now, just before the so-called elections on 25 February. Lukashenka is so scared of his own population that he needs to not only arrest politicians, but also their families; not only politicians, but also anybody that raises their voice for freedom in Belarus, including analysts and experts.

We must continue to show our support and take actions of support. We must continue to support freedom and democracy in Belarus by imposing sanctions on the Lukashenka regime. It is not a day too soon. It has been going on for nearly 30 years. We need to stop the last dictatorship in Europe.

  Clare Daly (The Left). – Madam President, there is no doubt about it, there are considerable problems with the prison conditions in Belarus: widespread allegations of poor treatment, failure to access medicine, sufficient food and family visits, and widespread arbitrary arrest on tenuous grounds, often for being foreign agents.

We ourselves have made repeated requests to go and see the labour and workers’ leaders Henadz Fiadynich, Vasil Berasneu and Vatslau Areshka, requests which have been denied by the Belarusian authorities, a situation which has happened to us in no other state begs the question: why were those visits not being facilitated?

I think that, while asking those questions and liking to see these issues put the spotlight on, we have to say that it’s very regrettable that our credibility in raising these issues is seriously undermined by the fact that, inside the EU, we also have people arbitrarily arrested who are opposition journalists and so on. People like Pablo González, now two years in prison in Poland, that also is not on.

  Michaela Šojdrová (PPE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, the last debate we had on the worsening situation of political prisoners in Belarus was in December. Again, persecutions escalate. Now Lukashenka’s regime is systematically targeting family members of political prisoners, mostly wives and mothers. We again urge Lukashenka to release all political prisoners, their families and the detained persons. Moreover, Lukashenka’s regime has been involved in a forced transfer of Ukrainian children, which is a war crime. Same as Putin, we need to treat Lukashenka also as a war criminal.

At this point, it is clear that the upcoming Belarusian election will not meet worldwide standards. That is why we call on the EU, its Member States and the international community not to recognise the results. The High Representative and the Council need to impose stronger sanctions on the Lukashenka regime. We will learn something from Putin’s war: the sanctions are working.

(Ende der spontanen Wortmeldungen)

  Helena Dalli, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, as repeatedly said, also in this chamber, the human rights situation in Belarus has been rapidly and drastically deteriorating. The recent searches, repression and arrests of family members, of political prisoners, are the latest demonstrations of Lukashenka’s disregard for rule of law, democracy and fundamental freedoms.

The EU firmly reacts to these developments with public statements, sanctions, solidarity with political prisoners and their families, and by supporting the work on accountability. We continue to call on the regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners. In his latest statement on 25 January, the High Representative condemned this new wave of repressions and the detention of over 200 people, mostly women, relatives of political prisoners.

There are nearly 1 500 political prisoners currently detained in Belarus, many of them kept incommunicado for weeks, months and even years, many without access to legal representation and appropriate medical care, deprived of their fundamental rights and submitted to ill treatment or torture.

The EU has introduced restrictive measures against the perpetrators of human rights violations, judges, prosecutors, heads of penal colonies and members of the regime’s security services. We are committed to work on further listings. We are mobilising all tools to address the situation of political prisoners. The EU delegation in Minsk regularly requests information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and on the conditions of prominent political prisoners kept incommunicado. We also ask to visit political prisoners, however, to no avail.

The minimum we can do is to continue showing our solidarity with political prisoners, notably by standing in front of courts during their trials. We also support families of political prisoners and work to ensure the rehabilitation of those who have served their sentence. I assure you that the EU has been, and will continue to lead the effort to support political prisoners and bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations in Belarus through the International Accountability Platform and in other international fora.

We have respect and admiration for the people of Belarus and their exceptional courage and dignity. We use every opportunity to convey to the Belarusian people our support for their quest for free, democratic, sovereign and independent Belarus as part of a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

  Der Präsident. – Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Zum Abschluss der Aussprache wurden 6 Entschließungsanträge eingereicht.

Die Abstimmung findet morgen, Donnerstag, den 8. Februar 2024, statt.