20111215-AP-belarus
Parliamentary Assembly
15/12/2011
The authorities in Belarus are “deliberately turning their back on Europe and the values it upholds”, the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said on 15 December, giving its full backing to the EU’s targeted sanctions.
Approving a draft resolution and a draft recommendation, based on a report by Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD), the committee expressed its “deep concern” at the deteriorating situation of human rights and civil and political liberties in the country.
The PACE Political Affairs Committee said that EU sanctions should be maintained and even strengthened until political prisoners were released and the crackdown on political opposition, independent media and human rights defenders was ended.
The report is due to be discussed by the Assembly during its next plenary session in Strasbourg (23 - 27 January 2012).