Brussels, 26/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 24 January, during a meeting with Valiantin Stefanovic, vice-president of the Belarusian Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, the commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, Stefan Füle, repeated his personal commitment to “strengthen the engagement with Belarusian civil society and with those in Belarus who support reform and modernisation, and to work together to bring the country back into the European family of democratic nations.”
Support for Ales Beliatski. Füle reiterated his concerns regarding the permanent and politically motivated targeting of Viasna, and repeated the EU's call to “immediately and unconditionally” release Beliatski who, on politically motivated grounds as a consequence of his work to the benefit of victims of repression, was sentenced on 24 November for tax fraud. Füle asked for the charges against him and against Stefanovic to be dropped. The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, deplored the appeal rejection submitted by Beliatski and described the proceedings against Beliatski as “politically motivated and unjust”. He called for the release of Beliatski and 14 other political prisoners, including two former presidential election candidates. He also regretted the court's decision to close the Viasna offices down.
Tougher criteria for sanctions. On Monday, European foreign affairs ministers extended the criteria with which the EU could introduce sanctions against members of President Lukashenko's regime. New measures could be taken as from February against those responsible for “serious human rights violations” and those responsible for “the repression of civil society and democratic opposition” or those supporting or benefiting from the Lukashenko regime. A total of 210 people responsible for repression of the opposition after the 2004 and 2006 elections have been denied visas and have had their assets frozen, as well as three companies. An embargo is also in force against arms sales and materials used for repressive purposes. CG/transl.fl)