Liberals in Europe and worldwide have closed ranks to make
a strong call upon the Belarusian government to release all
journalists, opposition candidates and civil society representatives
who face continued detention.
For liberal parties and their representatives in the European
and national parliaments the brutal repression of the peaceful
demonstrations following the presidential elections on 19
December 2010 is completely unacceptable.
Find the common declaration of the Presidents of four liberal
organisations below.
Joint Statement on situation after elections
in Belarus
ALDE Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
ALDE European Parliament
ELDR
Liberal International
The liberal forces of Europe strongly condemn the violent
repression of political protest in the aftermath of the Presidential
elections in Belarus on 19 December 2010 when more than 600
people were arrested.
At least 25 civic activists and political opponents of the
regime are accused of "mass disorders" and risk
up to 15 years of imprisonment. 23 of them are still detained
in remand prisons: among them not only presidential candidates
and politicians, but also journalists, intellectuals and our
liberal partners.
The European liberals call on the Belarusian authorities to
release anyone detained for the expression of critical views
regarding the outcome of the election and to avoid the reappearance
of the practice of imprisonment of political opponents. We
demand that the investigation into the so-called "mass
disorder" be conducted in a proper and politically unbiased
way. We strongly demand a clear roadmap for democratic reform
and free and fair elections to be developed by the Belarusian
authorities with assistance of the international institutions.
Anne Brasseur, ALDE - PACE
Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE - EP
Annemie Neyts, ELDR
Hans Van Baalen, LI
See also:
The
original publication
Human
Rights
YABLOKO
Sister Parties
YABLOKO
as a member of Liberal International
Relations
with Belarus
Pickets in support
of Byelorussian opposition held in St.Petersburg. Press
Release
January 6, 2011
YABLOKO demands from
Byelorussian President Lukashenko to release all the detained
on December 19-20. Statement by the Chair of the YABLOKO party,
December 31, 2010.
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