'Where is Statkevich?’: MEPs Demand Regime To Show Leader Of Belarusian Opposition
10- 14.12.2023, 10:57
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Nothing has been known about the fate of the political prisoner for more than 300 days.
On January 13, during a plenary session in Strasbourg, members of the European Parliament discussed the situation around the leader of the Belarusian opposition Mikalai Statkevich – nothing has been known about the fate of the political prisoner for more than 300 days – reports a correspondent for the website Charter97.org.
“This evil must be stopped. The European Union must keep strengthening sanctions against Lukashenka and his henchmen,” said Miriam M. Lexmann, the MEP from Slovakia, and named the Belarusian political prisoners about whom there has been no news for a long time: Mikalai Statkevich, Viktar Babaryka, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Maryia Kalesnikava, Ihar Losik, Pavel Seviarynets.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that there has been no news about Mikalai Statkevich for 307 days,” said Juozas Olekas, the Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Belarus. He called for strengthening sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.
“Belarusian political prisoners are counting on us to fight against the accomplice of Putin’s war crimes, the cowardly dictator Lukashenka. This means the EU must do more. Why aren’t all Lukashenka’s companies and cronies on the sanctions lists yet?!” said MEP from the Netherlands Thijs Reuten.
MEPs Evin Incir (Sweden) and Stanislav Polčák (Czech Republic) called for new sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.
MEP from Germany Viola von Cramon-Taubadel and MEP from Portugal Isabel Santos spoke about the situation around Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, an activist of the European Belarus Civil Campaign. Viola von Cramon-Taubadel recalled Palina’s words: “Belarus will definitely be free, but we need to fight and not give up to achieve this.”
Former Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga compared what was happening in Belarus with the martial law in Poland in the 80s: “42 years have passed, but the methods are still the same. Where is Mikalai Statkevich? Where are the others? I'm screaming as loud as I can: All political prisoners must be released unconditionally! Right now!"
Earlier, Editor-in-Chief of Charter97.org Natallia Radzina demanded that the Belarusian authorities refute information received from several sources about the possible death in prison of the leader of the Belarusian opposition Mikalai Statkevich.
“Show Mikalai Statkevich to his closest and dearest person, Maryna Adamovich, if he is alive. Allow them a date or at least a video call!
Otherwise, your silence will mean that the sources are right and the death of another political prisoner is in the hands of Lukashenka and his punishers,” said Natallia Radzina.
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