European Parliament passed resolution on tortures in Belarus

The European Parliament has strongly condemned the flagrant human rights violations in Belarus, the use of torture against oppositionists and “the climate of fear and intimidation” faced by political opponents in Belarus.

In the resolution on Belarus adopted on March 10, MEPs call on the competent EU institutions and partner countries to consider the extension of restrictive measures to prosecutors, judges and KGB representatives associated with the abuse of human rights unless repression is brought to an end.

The European Parliament urges the Belarusian authorities to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of torture of political prisoners and to identify and prosecute individuals involved in such practices. MEPs condemn in the strongest terms the use of torture against prisoners as a form of inhuman treatment that is unequivocally forbidden in international law and is absolutely unacceptable in a European country that is one of the EU’s closest neighbours. It is stated in the document that ongoing intimidation faced by political opponents in Belarus, the repression and harassment of civil-society activists and the free media are unacceptable.

The resolution highlights the cases of Ales Mikhalevich, a former presidential candidate imprisoned after post-election protests and released only after signing a commitment to collaborate with the KGB, and Natalia Radina, editor of an opposition website charter97.org, who was arrested for organising and participating in a mass protest following elections. She too was released but is not allowed to leave her home town until the investigation of her case is complete.

“Ales Mikhalevich, a former presidential candidate imprisoned in the aftermath of the post-election protests, was only released on 26 February 2011 after signing a commitment to collaborate with the Belarusian KGB that he has since publicly renounced. 2011 Ales Mikhalevich issued a statement giving an account of the mental and physical torture to which the political prisoners were subjected in order to coerce them to confess and accept evidence of their guilt.

Natalia Radina (Natallya Radzina), the editor of the opposition charter97.org website, was also arrested in December 2010 and charged with organising and participating in mass unrest that followed the presidential elections; whereas Ms Radina was released from the KGB pre-trial detention centre and then forbidden to leave her home town until the investigation into her case is completed. After her release Natalia Radina declared that during her detention KGB officers had subjected her to psychological pressure and attempted to recruit her as a KGB informant… Her statement corroborates the reports of political prisoners bring tortured in the KGB detention centre in Minsk”. The European Parliament has stated its full support of intentions to reveal the truth to the public and speak on behalf of the people subjected to imprisonment and tortures, deprived of contacts with their lawyers and families, the resolution reads.

The European Parliament condemns the lack of respect shown for the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and of expression by the Belarusian authorities and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all of the protestors detained and for all politically motivated charges brought against them to be dropped. MEPs condemn sentences to Andrei Sannikov’s press officer Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, members of the electoral campaign teams of democratic opposition candidates Aliaksandr Malchanau, Dzmitry Novik, Vasil Parfiankou, while, as their lawyers have stated, the authorities failed to prove their guilt.

Furthermore, MEPs emphasise that ''without immediate steps towards democratisation and upholding human rights by the government of Belarus the process of engagement between the EU and Belarus will be put on hold" including Belarus' participation in the Eastern Partnership.