Calls For Release Of Belarusian Political Prisoners Heard Within OSCE
- 9.02.2024, 15:51
The demand was supported by more than 30 countries.
The OSCE members called for the release of Belarusian political prisoners, and also doubted the upcoming holding of the unified voting day. A statement on behalf of the informal group of friends of democratic Belarus, consisting of 19 countries, was made by the Canadian Ambassador to the organization Jocelyn Kinnear. It was joined by 13 more states.
“Last month saw yet another wave of harassment, arrests, and detention, this time targeting former political prisoners remaining in Belarus, the families of political prisoners, and those who have supported them,” she noted.
The statement links the wave of repression to the upcoming unified voting day and calls for the release of all political prisoners.
“We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus,” Kinnear stated.
She also stressed that the upcoming vote will not be a real election.
“It is evident that the authorities in Belarus have no intention to hold the genuine elections that are required under OSCE commitments. It is impossible so long as all forms of dissent or opposition are met with intimidation, harassment, persecution and imprisonment. In Belarus: there is no freedom of expression; there is no freedom of association; and there is no free and independent media to share a plurality of ideas. It is impossible that a genuine democratic election could be held in these deplorable circumstances,” the representative of Canada underlined.
She recalled that Belarus’ refusal to invite observers from the OSCE/ODIHR is not compatible with its obligations.
“So long as the regime in Belarus continues to fail to meet its OSCE human dimension commitments, and to violate the human rights and democratic freedoms of its people, we will continue to speak out and to raise our concerns.
Things can be different in Belarus. The people of Belarus deserve better.
We condemn the continued military support provided by Belarus for Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine. We call on Belarus not to provide further support for Russia’s war of aggression.
We call on the Belarusian authorities to fully implement their international obligations and OSCE commitments, including by taking all necessary steps to create conditions for free, fair and genuinely democratic elections,” Kinnear summed up.