Natallia Radzina: We Must Demand Tougher Sanctions Against Lukashenka Regime

• 17.01.2024, 15:30

This is the only way we can save Belarusian political prisoners.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola became the symbolic godmother of political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk.

Editor-in-Chief of the website Charter97.org Natallia Radzina called for increased pressure on the Lukashenka regime to release Belarusian political prisoners on her Facebook:

“I’m happy that the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola took custody of the political prisoner, activist of the European Belarus civil campaign Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk. This is all the result of the work of our team, visits and speeches in Brussels, constant appeals to European deputies, and solidarity actions of the Belarusian diaspora in European cities. We must continue to knock on all doors and demand stronger sanctions against the regime. This is the only way we can save political prisoners.

It is important to note that in July last year, Natallia Radzina, the Editor-in-Chief of the Charter-97, Maryna Adamovich, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich, and Andrei Sharenda, the husband of Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk, held a series of bilateral meetings in Brussels with members of the European Parliament and EU diplomats. MEPs and EU diplomats promised their support to Belarusian political prisoners. Statements immediately followed demanding information about political prisoners, providing them with medical care, and their release. It was also stated that until all political prisoners in Belarus are released, there can be no talk of lifting sanctions from the regime.

In October 2023, Natallia Radzina spoke at a meeting of the European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and the Delegation for Relations of the European Parliament with Belarus. The journalist told how female political prisoners are tortured in Belarusian prisons, and called on the EU to strengthen sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.