European Parliament members urge to take political custody over Belarusian political prisoners

This could save political prisoners from greater pressure.

Members of the European Parliament Piatras Austriavicius (Lithuania) and Hans van Baalen (Netherlands) addressed their colleagues in European Parliament with a call to take political custody over Belarusian political prisoners.

In their appeal, published on 2 July on the web-site of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, it is noted: “We welcome the recent release of Ales Bialatski, probably, the most well-known political prisoner in Belarus. The personal case of Mr. Bialatski and the constant repressions against the civil society in Belarus require permanent support on the part of European politicians and leaders”, - BelaPAN reports.

Austriavicius and van Baalen urge the newly elected members of the European Parliament and the EP’s political groups to “take political custody over a Belarusian political prisoner – over his humanitarian conditions, the observation of his rights and freedoms”.

“A symbolical gesture of this kind will be a step in the long way towards maintaining awareness of the destructive nature of the Lukashenka regime for the civil society in Belarus. Political custody will also give hope and raise the spirits of the relatives and close ones of the detained activists, who often fall under pressure on the part of the regime”, - the members of the European Parliament believe.

European Parliament elections took place on 22-25 May. The center-right European People’s Party won the elections, having scored 28% of the votes. Second was the center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, third was the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

The leader of the social democrats Martin Schulz was reelected the president of the European Parliament.