MEPs launch the second edition of the #EPSTANDSBYYOU initiative
During the March 2024 plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will send a message of solidarity and support to political prisoners in Belarus and their families.
The initiative group of eight MEPs representing all the main political groups: Andrzej Halicki (EPP), Juozas Olekas (S&D), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew Europe), Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (The Greens/EFA), Anna Fotyga (ECR), Rasa Juknevičienė (EPP), Andrius Kubilius (EPP) and Thijs Reuten (S&D), are encouraging all MEPs to sign and send a message of appreciation and support to 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus. This initiative is supported by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola in commemoration of the Day of Solidarity with Belarus, called upon by the leader of Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
“The people of Belarus must be able to live in freedom. Free from autocracy. Free from oppression. It is what they want. It is what they chose. It is what they deserve.” — President Metsola spoke these words at the plenary sitting of the European Parliament in September 2023, in the presence of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a leader of Belarusian democratic forces.
The European Parliament has always stood by the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the Belarusian people. Since the first signs of repression and brutal crackdown on peaceful protests around the 2020 presidential elections, it has called for swift action by the EU and Member States to apply restrictive measures against Lukashenka’s criminal regime and to support the victims and their families. The EP awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to the democratic opposition in Belarus. The EP will continue to actively support the Belarusian democratic forces. Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime is a threat to Europe’s security, bringing war and terror to Europe alongside Putin’s regime in Russia.
The initiative #EPSTANDSBYYOU is about bringing attention to the grave human rights situation in Belarus, in particular the situation of 1,500 political prisoners that are being kept by the illegitimate Lukshenka regime in prison under false grounds facing constant terror and inunhuman conditions. Five political prisoners have died behind bars.
This is the second edition of the #EPSTANDSBYYOU initiative. In December 2022, MEPs from all political groups signed more than 300 letters to Belarusian political prisoners. Through the #EPSTANDSBYYOU initiative, MEPs expressed their solidarity and support to the political prisoners and their families, as well as their admiration and recognition of their sacrifices for standing up for democratic principles and values.
“We want to do it again. We want to send a message of hope to the political prisoners in Belarus and let them know that they are not forgotten and that we will continue to put pressure on the Lukashenka regime for their immediate and unconditional release,” said the MEPs launching the second edition of the #EPSTANDSBYYOU initiative.
When it will happen?
During the plenary session in Strasbourg, from Monday afternoon 11 March to Thursday noon 14 March, MEPs will be able to sign a personalised postcard with the victory hand gesture and the name of the initiative on a blue European background. The stand will be conveniently located next to the entrance to the Hemicycle. The stand will be open as follows:
Monday 11/03 from 17h00 to 19h00
Tuesday 12/03 from 9h00 to 18h00
Wednesday 13/03 from 9h00 to 18h00
Thursday 14/03 from 9h00 to 12h00
If you are a journalist or media/ press representative, you are very welcome to come to the stand, make a material or publication about the initiative. For more information, you can contact: Duber Blazej at blazej.duber@europarl.europa.eu or +48 792 801 579.
