Wit Rusland: oppositie zit in gevangenis. Vragen aan alle ministers van buitenlandse zaken in de EU

Source: P.H. (Pieter) Omtzigt i, published on Monday, January 3 2011.

De verkiezingen in Wit Rusland waren voor de Kerst. Het is nu nieuwjaar en de oppositiekandidaten, die vlak na de verkiezingen werde opgepakt, zitten nog steeds vast in de gevangenis. Misschien wel voor jaren. Verder is de onafhankelijke media sterk beperkt, moet de OVSE haar kantoor sluiten. Wit Rusland trekt zich terug achter een nieuw ijzeren gordijn. Daarom stel ik vandaag vragen in de Raad van Europa aan de voltallige raad van Ministers van Buitenlandse zaken. Dus inclusief Rusland, de hele EU en Oekraine.

Kern: de vastzittende kandidaten moeten als politieke gevangenen beschouwd worden en zo lang zij vast zitten moeten visa voor de Wit Russische regering worden opgeschort. Ik verwacht een antwoord voor 24 januari.

Questions of Mr. Omtzigt (EPP/CD, Netherlands) to the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe

The presidential elections in Belarus on December 19th 2010 were unfair and many irregularities took place according to the OSCE-observer mission: the incumbent president had 90% of air-time on national television, the central election commission lacks impartiality and there is a lack of safeguards to ensure the integrity of early voting and the vote count.

Since gaining independence in 1994 no free and fair elections were held in Belarus and the current regime has shown that it does not intend to ever hold them. The day after the elections several candidates were imprisoned, journalists were harassed and imprisoned as well as human rights activists.

Omtzigt aks the council of ministers:

  • - 
    Does het CM agree that the imprisoned candidates are political prisoners or does it trust the impartiality of the Belarus judicial system?
  • - 
    Will the CM discuss and implement a visum ban on Belarus officials as long as presidential candidates are in prison?
  • - 
    Will the CM release an official statement with its view and disapproval of the current political situation in Belarus?
  • - 
    Will the Council of Europe now formally make ties with the opposition as legitimate representatives of the Belarus people?
  • - 
    Can the CM answer these questions before the opening of the first part session of the parliamentary assembly of 2011?

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