On June 18, the European Parliament adopted an urgent resolution by an overwhelming majority in response to the worsening situation of political prisoners in Belarus. Particular attention in the document is given to the case of Aliaksandra Pulinovich, who was detained at the age of 16, accused of involvement in anti-war graffiti actions in the ‘Black Nightingales’ case, and sentenced to more than ten years in prison.
The European Parliament’s resolution calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aliaksandra Pulinovich and all political prisoners in Belarus, as well as their full rehabilitation and restoration of rights. MEPs condemn the Lukashenka regime’s use of “extremism” and “terrorism” charges to persecute citizens, including minors, and call for an end to torture, incommunicado detention, forced labor, and other forms of ill-treatment of prisoners.
The European Parliament acknowledges the efforts of international partners to secure the release of political prisoners but stresses that individual releases cannot serve as grounds for normalizing relations with the regime. The resolution sets out a clear position: the release of all political prisoners and an end to repression must remain key conditions for political dialogue and economic cooperation with the authorities in Belarus.
The resolution also calls on the European Union to strengthen sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for repression, support the documentation of the regime’s crimes, and advance international accountability mechanisms, including through the International Criminal Court.
The Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya conducted targeted outreach with the European Parliament’s main political groups during the preparation of this document.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, notes: “This resolution demonstrates that Belarus remains in Europe’s focus. Today, voices from Poland and Lithuania, Sweden and Denmark, France and Germany are speaking up for Belarusians. Europe has not forgotten political prisoners in Belarus and continues to support Belarusians in their struggle for freedom and democracy”.
