06/09/2021 | President
“I am shocked to learn that Belarusian opposition leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Maksim Znak have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms on so-called conspiracy charges,” PACE President Rik Daems said today. “These sentences are entirely without merit, and both of these courageous individuals...
31/08/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE rapporteur Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland, SOC) will be in Vilnius and Warsaw from 1 to 3 September to meet Belarusian political stakeholders and civil society representatives living abroad, in the context of the preparation of his report on “Call for an inclusive national political process in...
26/07/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Alexandra Louis (France, ALDE), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the situation of human rights defenders and former rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus, has condemned the new anti-NGO campaign in Belarus. "Civil society in Belarus...
23/06/2021 | Session
“Belarus has become a threat to the whole of Europe, especially to neighbouring countries, with a real risk of destabilisation”, said Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD), opening of a current affairs debate on this topic. Mr Zingeris referred to the forced landing of a civilian airliner by the...
28/05/2021 | Standing Committee
“The first thing we should do is call for the immediate release of Roman Protasevich and the release of all other political prisoners in Belarus,” today said John Howell (United Kingdom, EC/DA) opening a current affairs debate on 'The forced landing by the Belarusian authorities on 23 May of...
25/05/2021 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
Stefan Schennach (Austria, SOC), General Rapporteur on media freedom and the safety of journalists for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has today expressed his grave concern at the arrest and detention by the Belarusian authorities of Raman Pratasevich, co-founder of...
04/05/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Vladimir Vardanyan (Armenia, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, has welcomed the recent pardon of the two brothers Illia and Stanislau Kostseu, who had been on death row. “I am very satisfied with this...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE has urged Belarus to comprehensively reform its electoral system to bring it into line with international standards for democratic elections. Approving a resolution and recommendation based on a report by Lord Blencathra (United Kingdom, EC), the Assembly said that the current failed...
21/04/2021 | Session
PACE is urging Council of Europe member States to use universal jurisdiction and “Magnitsky laws” to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious human rights violations in Belarus, including torture, during the recent protests and government crackdown. Approving a report by Alexandra Louis...
31/03/2021 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Belarus is being urged to comprehensively reform its electoral system to bring it into line with international standards for democratic elections. Approving a resolution based on a report by Lord Blencathra (United Kingdom, EC), the Assembly’s Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy said...
23/03/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Council of Europe member States are being urged to use universal jurisdiction and “Magnitsky laws” to bring to justice the perpetrators of serious human rights violations in Belarus during the recent protests and government crackdown, including torture. Approving a report by Alexandra Louis...
20/01/2021 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Vladimir Vardanyan (Armenia, EPP/CD), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, has condemned the handing down in Belarus of a death sentence on Viktar Skrundzik for the murder of two elderly people and an attempt to...