Human rights violations in Belarus require an international investigation

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15135 | 08 September 2020

Signatories:

Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Ms Maryna BARDINA, Ukraine, ALDE ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Ms Maryvonne BLONDIN, France, SOC ; Ms Margreet De BOER, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Ervin BUSHATI, Albania, SOC ; Ms Klotilda BUSHKA, Albania, SOC ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Ms Yolaine de COURSON, France, ALDE ; Mr Piero FASSINO, Italy, SOC ; Ms Marija GOLUBEVA, Latvia, ALDE ; Lord Leslie GRIFFITHS, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, France, SOC ; Ms Yevheniia KRAVCHUK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Christophe LACROIX, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Inese LĪBIŅA-EGNERE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Mr Tony LLOYD, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Yuliya LOVOCHKINA, Ukraine, SOC ; Ms Ada MARRA, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Ola MÖLLER, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Giuseppe Maria MORGANTI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Kate OSAMOR, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Ms Dana REIZNIECE-OZOLA, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Ms Tabea RÖSSNER, Germany, SOC ; Ms Selin SAYEK BÖKE, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Andrzej SZEJNA, Poland, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Parliamentary Assembly stands with the courageous people of Belarus who are fighting for their rights and dignity. Hundreds of thousands have peacefully defied official warnings and threats of retaliation. There are multiple, credible reports of massive, serious violations of the right to free and fair elections, of the freedom of expression and assembly, of the right to liberty and of acts of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment against peaceful protesters.

The Assembly considers that the perpetrators of the serious human rights violations in the context of the recent presidential election and its aftermath must be held to account. A clear signal must be sent to all members of the Belarusian security forces that there will be no impunity for serious human rights violations.

Therefore, the Council of Europe, in co-operation with other international organisations, should urgently set up an international investigative body to collect information and secure evidence on human rights crimes in Belarus.

Both the Belarusian authorities and representatives of civil society shall be invited to co-operate in this investigation. Its results shall be published and made available to any national or international law enforcement bodies that are willing and have jurisdiction to prosecute massive human rights violations committed in Belarus.

Meanwhile, the Assembly should prepare an urgent report on the human rights situation in Belarus in the context of the recent presidential election in order to further strengthen the fight against impunity.