Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the request of the Belarusian authorities that the EU Head Delegation and Polish Ambassador to Minsk leave the country for consultations

Submitted by admin on Thu, 03/01/2012 - 08:46

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy and Vice President of the Commission, made today the following statement:

"Following today's request by the Belarusian authorities that the Head of  the EU Delegation in Minsk and the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus leave the country for consultations, I have decided, in coordination with Foreign Minister Sikorski, that we will recall for consultations our two ambassadors.

At the same time, I have called a meeting of Member States Ambassadors (PSC) in Brussels today to coordinate our response. In an expression of solidarity and unity, it was  agreed that the ambassadors of the EU Member States in Minsk will all be withdrawn for consultations to their capitals. All EU Member States will also summon Belarusian ambassadors to their foreign ministries. 

We will continue to follow the situation closely."

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/...

News of Belarus

The website charter97.org announced winners of the National Human Rights Award 2014

Submitted by admin on Tue, 12/30/2014 - 21:00

This year's winners of the Viktar Ivashkevich National Human Rights Award are:

Vasil Parfiankou

The life of Vasil Parfiankou is a demonstration of how dissidents are treated in Belarus. Parfiankou has been jailed three times in the last four years for his active citizenship.

Belarussian political prisoners need European Parliament support

Submitted by admin on Wed, 07/02/2014 - 00:00

Today, on the occasion of the visit of Ales Bialiatski, a recently released political activist and Chairman of the Belarus Human Rights Centre "Viasna", Petras Auštrevičius MEP (Liberal Movement, Lithuania) and Hans Van Baalen MEP (VVD, Netherlands) commented:

Prominent Belarusian Rights Activist Released

Submitted by admin on Sat, 06/21/2014 - 00:00

Prominent Belarusian human rights activist Ales Byalyatski has arrived in Minsk after he was released from prison.

He was welcomed at a Minsk train station by his wife Natalya Pinchuk and a group of supporters on June 21.

Byalyatski told reporters he was released under an amnesty law that came into force on June 21. The rights activist also that the domestic and international support he had received heped in getting him released early.