EP postpones vote on resolution on Belarus

(updated) The decision was taken in view of the refusal of Lukashenka to pardon Dzmitry Kanavalau (Dmitry Konovalov) and Uladzislau Kavalyou (Vladislav Kovalev), who have been sentenced to death.

The EP gives the Belarusian authorities an additional opportunity to improve the situation.

The EP President called on Lukashenka to think again, reconsider his decision and introduce a moratorium on the capital punishment.

MEPs are expected to vote on the resolution in two weeks.

We remind that the European Parliament prepared a draft resolution calling to impose economic sanctions on the Lukashenka regime and move the Ice Hockey World Championship from Minsk. The resolution was to be adopted this evening, Radio Svaboda reports.

The draft resolution reads that the European Parliament:

1. Continues strongly to condemn the deteriorating situation as regards human rights and fundamental freedoms, combined with the lack of deep democratic and economic reforms in Belarus, and will continue to oppose the repression of the regime’s opponents in Minsk;

2. Condemns the continuous persecution of human rights defenders and members of the democratic opposition and the harassment of civil society activists and the independent media in Belarus for political reasons;

3. Demands the unconditional and immediate release of all political prisoners; reiterates that there cannot be any progress in the EU-Belarus dialogue without progress by Belarus in terms of democracy, human rights and rule of law and until all political prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski, Chair of the Human Rights Centre 'Viasna' and Vice-President of the FIDH, two ex-presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Andrei Sannikau, heads of the presidential campaigns of democratic opposition candidates Pavel Seviarynets and Dzmitry Bandarenka, and Syarhey Kavalenka, a political prisoner detained for an alleged breach of house arrest, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike, which has led to a critical deterioration in his health and directly threatens his life, are unconditionally released and their civil rights are fully rehabilitated;

4. Stresses that the decision to withdraw all the ambassadors of the EU Member States from Belarus proves that the Belarusian authorities’ attempts to divide the European Union over decisions on sanctions have failed;

5. Emphasises that a firm commitment on the part of all EU Member States and other democratic countries to act in a united manner in times of necessity can help promote universal values in such countries as Belarus and bring them closer to the path of democratic transition;

6. Condemns the offensive rhetoric used by Aliaksandr Lukashenka vis-à-vis the German Foreign Minister;

7. Stresses that, instead of choosing increasing self-isolation, Minsk should make the right choice for its people and open itself to democracy;

8. Calls on the National Ice Hockey Federations of the EU Member States and all other democratic countries to urge the IIHF, including at its next Congress in May in Helsinki, Finland, to re-discuss its earlier decision envisaging the possibility of relocating the 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship from Belarus to another host country until all political prisoners, recognised by international human rights organisations as ‘prisoners of conscious’, are released and until the regime shows clear signs of its commitment to respect human rights and the rule of law;

9. Welcomes the Council's decision of 28 February 2012 to strengthen restrictive measures and to add 21 persons responsible for the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition in Belarus to the list of those targeted by a travel ban and an asset freeze;

10. Calls on the Council to take stock of the latest developments in EU-Belarus diplomatic relations and of the further deterioration in the situation regarding human rights and basic freedoms in the country and, on this basis, to adopt a decision concerning further restrictive measures, including targeted economic sanctions;

11. Stresses that the European Union and Belarus should have good neighbourly relations and that these should be strongly supported by EU close engagement with civil society and the democratic opposition in Belarus and its support for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people;

12. Reiterates its call on the Commission to support, with financial and political means, the efforts of Belarusian civil society, independent media (including TV Belsat, European Radio for Belarus, Radio Racja and others) and non-governmental organisations in Belarus to promote democracy;

13. Stresses the need for increased cooperation between the EU and its eastern neighbours in the framework of the Eastern Partnership, including its parliamentary dimension – the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly – with the shared aim of initiating a genuine process of democratisation in Belarus;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and the Council of Europe, the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Parliament and Government of Belarus.