European Parliament President meets with Belarusian opposition

“We consider Mikalai Statkevich to be a hero,” Martin Schulz said.

A delegation of representatives of the Belarusian opposition had a high-level meeting in the European Parliament ahead of the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga.

On May 19, first head of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich, leader of European Belarus civil campaign Andrei Sannikov, political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich's wife Maryna Adamovich and editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radzina met with President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, chairman of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs Elmar Brok, chairman of the Delegation for Relations with Belarus Bogdan Zdrojewski and head of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats MEP Gabrielius Landsbergis.

Members of the Belarusian delegation drew attention of the EP officials to the deteriorating situation of political prisoners, the threat of blocking websites in Belarus, repression against civil society and journalists, as well as ongoing arrests of opposition activists.

“The main objective of our meetings was to express our concern about the fact that changes in the EU policy have led to the deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus. The European Union is now concerned about Russia's aggression in Ukraine and tries to find a way out of the crisis. But it seems short-sighted and dangerous to use the help of dictator Lukashenka to stop Putin. Europe needs a strategy of relations with our region, and this strategy cannot rely on support of dictatorships in the region, small or big ones. The European Union has enough experience in relations with Belarus that shows that Lukashenka understands only the language of force and that any meltdown in relations with him leads to a new wave of repression, new political prisoners and killings. The defeat of Lukashenka will inevitably lead to the defeat of the Kremlin. It must serve as a landmark for Europe,” leader of European Belarus Andrei Sannikov said.

Maryna Adamovich spoke about the situation of political inmates, noting that pressure on prisoners of conscience was growing. She called on the EU not to give up the principled position on the situation of human rights in Belarus. According to her, the regime deliberately increases pressure on political prisoners during visits of EU officials to Belarus.

For example, when Lukashenka had a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, Adamovich's husband Mikalai Statkevich was tried, and confinement conditions for him were worsened. Political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok was sentenced to an additional year in prison when three high-ranking officials were in Belarus with a visit – Special Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Andrea Rigoni, Deputy Secretary General for the External Action Service Helga Schmid and member of the European Parliament Sandra Kalniete.

Maryna Adamovich conveyed thanks to Martin Schulz from Mikalai Statkevich for his support. The political prisoner's wife emphasised the importance of the fact that the European Parliament recognised six persons as Belarusian political prisoners. The EP has recently launched a campaign to support the Belarusian political prisoners, and each inmate received a “patron” in the EP.

Stanislau Shushkevich said he came to Strasbourg to prevent a possible delusion of MEPs regarding Lukashenka and his possible “metamorphosis”.

“I met with Martin Schulz long ago, when he wasn't the EP President. He still perfectly understands the situation in Belarus. There was no need to try to convince him of anything. The EU should urge the Lukashenka regime to release and rehabilitate the political prisoners. The authorities must cancel draconian mass media laws must, stop attacks on websites, stop stifling free speech and suppressing everything under penalty of repression. Problems of Ukraine are considered to be the key ones today, but we should not forget about Belarus. It is unacceptable to believe in Lukashenka's false promises,” first head of independent Belarus Stanislau Shushkevich said.

Editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radzina called on the EU to immediately impose sanctions on the regime of Lukashenka, economic ones and sanctions on supplies of technologies, if independent websites are blocked. The journalist noted that many independent Belarusian websites have received warnings from the Ministry of Information. According to the amendments to the Law on the Mass Media adopted in early 2015, sites can be blocked after two warnings without a trial. Beltelecom, the state-owned company that has the monopoly on Internet service in the country, buys equipment to block sites. The most popular independent Belarusian website charter97.org has been blocked three times for the last 6 months.

In the current conditions of Russian propaganda, the closure of independent websites in Belarus means the loss of Belarus' independence and turning Belarus into an isolated dictatorship of the North Korean type. The support of independent media is vital in current conditions, Natallia Radzina stressed.

EP President Martin Schulz said the European Parliament kept a close eye on the situation in Belarus. According to him, he was against the idea of making Minsk a venue for talks with pro-Russian Donbas separatists. “We have always been concerned about the human rights situation in Belarus. We keep an eye on the situation of political prisoners,” the EP President said.

Martin Schulz drew special attention to the state of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, whose confinement conditions were tightened. “We admire your husband and consider him to be a hero,” he said to Maryna Adamovich.

The President of the European Parliament said he would personally monitor the situation of a threat of blocking independent websites in Belarus.

”I know about crackdown on charter97.org and activists of “European Belarus”, and we are always ready to lend our shoulder to you”, - Martin Schulz said.