19/11/2010 Political Affairs and Democracy
During an exchange of views with representatives from Belarus, organised by the Political Affairs Committee in Paris on 18 November, parliamentarians called for visible progress in the conduct of the forthcoming Presidential elections on 19 December 2010, and in particular with regard to the freedom of the media. They took note with interest of information according to which positive developments with regard to the abolition of the death penalty might be expected in the near future.
PACE’s rapporteur on the situation in Belarus, Sinikka Hurskainen (Finland, SOC), has reiterated the Assembly’s readiness to engage in a progressive dialogue with the Belarusian authorities in response to future positive developments, but underscored that “there cannot be progress on dialogue without progress towards Council of Europe standards proved by consistent actions”. She said she would continue to follow closely developments in the run-up to the elections and would submit a comprehensive report in spring 2011.
In an information note on her visit to Minsk in August 2010, made public on the occasion of the exchange of views, Mrs Hurskainen reports on recent initiatives relating to the possible abolition of capital punishment in the country and preparations for the forthcoming Presidential elections as well as the question of disappeared persons, allegations of political prisoners and restrictions on media freedoms and freedom of association.
Participants in the exchange of views were: Evgeny Smirnov, Chairman of the Standing Commission on Legislation and Public Management of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, Vitaly Rymasheuski, Co-Chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, Andrei Babok, special correspondent at Narodnaya Gazeta and Andrei Aliaksandrau, Vice-Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.