REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF IHAR BARYSAU

The Group of Socialists, Democrats and Greens in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as the Social Democrats, Socialists, and Progressives Group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, express their deep concern on the recent imprisonment of Ihar Barysau, head of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) and express their full solidarity.

Ihar Barysau is accused for disobedience to law enforcement officers, for simply having requested the permission to hold a march on the 25th March, on Belarusians’ unofficial Freedom Day.

We urge the authorities of Belarus to immediately comply with the Council of Europe Action Plan for Belarus 2019-2021, which aims to bring Belarus’s legislation, institutions and practices further into line with European standards in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

It should be reminded that the ultimate aim, is the accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Council of Europe, so that the people of Belarus may enjoy the wealth of values that our Organisation can provide. Everyone should have the right to fearlessly express his or her own beliefs, as well as to peacefully assembly and demonstrate.

It is only through dialogue and respect of the international obligations, that the country may seek a way out the political turmoil, it is suffering from since several months. Violence, police brutality, intimidation of the opposition, as well as repression are not the right solutions.

The Council of Europe provides the Republic of Belarus with the right instruments for a lengthy peaceful and democratic society, based on the principles of respect of human rights, democracy, and rule of law. Moreover, as member of the OSCE, Belarus should comply with the obligations enshrined in the documents signed by the Republic of Belarus. We call the Belarussian authorities to follow its international obligations.

Strasbourg, 25th March 2021