Belarus: Statement by the Spokesperson marking six years since the fraudulent presidential elections

Today marks the sixth year since the fraudulent presidential elections in Belarus, when the democratic expression of hundreds of thousands of Belarusians was met with an unprecedented level of repression that remains systematic and unabated to this day.

Despite the release of a number of political prisoners over the past year, new arrests have been made and more than 800 remain arbitrarily detained, many of them under appalling conditions, in isolation, subject to ill-treatment and torture, with no access to essential health services. We reiterate our call for their immediate and unconditional release and their effective rehabilitation and reintegration, and an end to the practice of forcibly expelling released prisoners or using administrative harassment to pressure released prisoners to leave Belarus. We also reiterate our call for an end of the ongoing persecution and intimidation campaigns against Belarusian society, including human rights defenders, journalists, independent trade unionists, cultural actors and civil society representatives inside as well as outside of Belarus. The European Union is firmly committed to holding those responsible for human rights violations, transnational repression and abuses to account.

The European Union stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus and will continue to support Belarusian civil society and democratic forces. Since 2020, the EU has mobilised €200 million which has directly benefited thousands of Belarusian students, researchers, artists and professionals, and sustained Belarusian civil society, independent media and human rights defenders.

The European Union reaffirms its unwavering support for the Belarusian people's quest for a free, democratic, sovereign and independent Belarus as part of a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

We also reiterate our call on the Belarusian authorities to initiate a genuine and inclusive national dialogue, to end their continued support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine., and to cease their involvement in hybrid attacks at the EU's external borders, including the instrumentalisation of migrants for political purposes.