Head of European Parliament: Use Of Force By Belarusian Authorities Must Have Consequences

David Sassoli issued a statement calling for an end to violence against the protesters.

European Parliament Speaker David Sassoli issued a statement calling on Lukashenka to stop violence against the protesters, naviny.by writes.

“I call on Lukashenka to stop the violence and immediately release the detainees. Residents of Belarus have the right to protest,” Sassoli wrote on 13 August on his Twitter account.

“The use of brute force by the state authorities should have consequences in accordance with the international law,” the head of the European Parliament stressed.

Earlier, more than two dozen MEPs in a joint statement stressed that the Belarusian regime had crossed the red line, using unprecedented violence against its citizens demanding freedom and democratic reforms.

“Due to the restriction and violation by the Belarusian regime of fundamental freedoms, human rights, as well as fraudulent election procedures, we do not recognize the presidential elections held in Belarus on August 9, either as free and fair, or as legal,” the statement says.