News on the topic: EU-Belarus
06.04.2017 European Parliament condemns “crackdown on peaceful protesters” in Belarus
The European Parliament condemns the “crackdown on peaceful protesters” in mass demonstrations by thousands of citizens across Belarus, in particular on Freedom Day (25 March), when security forces violently attacked and beat protesters and arrested hundreds of people, including domestic and foreign journalists reporting on the events. The protests were directed against the adoption of a Presidential Decree introducing a so-called “social-parasite tax”, designed to penalise unemployment with fees and forced labour.
05.04.2017 Authorities’ actions contradict their words, EU delegation says
The Belarusian authorities’ recent actions contradict the country’s stated policy of democratization and international commitments, the European Union’s delegation to the third round of the EU-Belarus Coordination Group said in a statement on April 4.
28.03.2017 EU Statement on a death sentence in Belarus
The Delegation of the European Union to Belarus has issued the following statement in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Belarus.
25.03.2017 Use of force against peaceful protesters cannot be justified, EU said
Statement by the Spokesperson on the events in the run up to and during today's Freedom Day in Belarus
18.03.2017 EU calls to release detained protesters in Belarus
"The latest developments in Belarus highlight a clear need for a broader democratisation process in the country. Freedom of association and of assembly needs to be ensured. Recently detained peaceful protesters, including journalists covering the events, must be immediately released," Spokesperson of the European Union External Action Service said in a statement.
20.02.2017 Libereco: no improvement in human rights situation one year after sanctions were lifted
One year ago, on 15 February 2016, the EU Foreign Affairs Council decided to lift most of the sanctions against Belarus. This decision was preceded by a reduction in visible repression in Belarus since the summer of 2015, through the release of political prisoners and relatively peaceful presidential elections.
15.02.2017 Civil Rights Defenders: EU Sanctions Lifted at the Expense of Civil and Political Rights in Belarus
One year ago, the EU lifted sanctions against Belarus. The sanctions were imposed in response to human rights violations perpetrated by the Belarusian regime, but were lifted without any improvements to the human rights situation. On the one year anniversary, Civil Rights Defenders releases a report entitled: Dictatorship No More? EU Sanctions Lifted at the Expense of Civil and Political Rights in Belarus.
08.02.2017 Human rights defenders: It is vital that Belarus remains on EU agenda
On February 7, a number of locations in Brussels hosted meetings of EU officials with the human rights defenders of Viasna, representatives of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus, as well as and the mother of Uladzislau Kavaliou, who was executed in 2012. The key issue for the discussion was the death penalty in Belarus.
03.02.2017 Issue of the death penalty in Belarus to be discussed in Brussels and Strasbourg
Representatives of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and FIDH are going to discuss the issue of the death penalty in Belarus during a visit to the EU structures and the Council of Europe scheduled for the next week.
30.12.2016 EU calls on Belarus to join global moratorium on the death penalty
"Yet another death sentence was handed down this week in Belarus, to Mr Kiryl Kazachok. This sentence, which follows the execution of four persons earlier this year, goes against the commitments made by Belarusian authorities to consider the introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty," EU External Action Service said in a statement.
25.11.2016 Belarus’ efforts to uphold democratic values are “insufficient”, MEPs say
MEPs say that Belarus’ progress in upholding democratic values is “insufficient” in a resolution voted on Thursday. They note that Belarus is taking new political prisoners, harassing the opposition, using capital punishment, and failing to address safety concerns about its first nuclear power plant, being built in Ostrovets.
05.10.2016 EU 'reaffirms strong opposition' to capital punishment after Supreme Court upholds another death verdict
Today, 4 October, the Belarusian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence against Siarhei Vostrykau. This is the fourth confirmation by the Belarusian Supreme Court of a death sentence in 2016.
21.09.2016 EU insists on reinstatement of former political prisoners’ civil and political rights
“In 2015 the overall human rights situation in Belarus remained marked by systematic human rights violations,” says the Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world approved by the EU Council on September 20.
16.08.2016 Ales Bialiatski: We hope that Marieluise Beck will remain a sincere friend of Belarus
Marieluise Beck, a member of the Bundestag’s foreign policy committee representing the Greens and an expert on Eastern Europe, announced her decision not to be elected in the next convocation of the German Parliament, according to a message received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna".
03.06.2016 Libereco: Repressions in Belarus increased since EU lifted sanctions
Repressions in Belarus have increased since the EU lifted sanctions, says Libereco´s analysis published on June 3, 100 days after the EU abandoned its sanctions against Belarus.
