On Thursday 25 January, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the recent wave of repression against former political prisoners still in Belarus and their families.
“The Lukashenko regime continues its deplorable tactics of intimidation and repression against its critics and potential political opponents ahead of the ‘elections’ in February”, said Mr Borrell in a statement.
He urged the Belarusian authorities to refrain from any further repression and violence against the Belarusian people and to comply with the country’s international human rights obligations, “by releasing immediately and unconditionally all those arbitrarily detained and ceasing abusive prosecutions”.
Mr Borrell reiterated that Belarusian citizens deserved the right to be “represented by those they freely choose through transparent, free and fair elections”.
Legislative and local elections are scheduled for 25 February in Belarus.
Mr Lukashenko refused to allow the OSCE to observe the elections. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)