3157th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting Brussels, 22 and 23 March 2012

 Council conclusions on on Belarus
 
3157th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting
Brussels, 22 and 23 March 2012

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"1. Recalling the Council conclusions on 31 January 2011 and 20 June 2011, the Council reiterates its grave concern about the continued lack of respect for human rights, democracy
and rule of law in Belarus, and regrets that further repressive measures have taken place.

2.  As the political prisoners have not been released and rehabilitated, and against the background of the further deterioration of the situation, the Council decided to designate additional persons responsible for serious violations of human rights or the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, to the list of those subject to travel restrictions and assets freezes. The Council also decided to designate further businessmen and companies benefitting from or supporting the regime and will agree further such designations at upcoming Council meetings if all Belarusian political prisoners are not released. The EU´s restrictive measures remain open and under constant review.

Read...

Official sourse: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/...

News of Belarus

UN human rights office calls on Belarus to free opposition leaders

20 April 2012
Following the release last week of two opposition leaders from prison in Belarus, the UN human rights office today called on the country’s authorities to begin dialogue with the opposition and to unconditionally release all prisoners who are serving sentences for exercising their fundamental human rights.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle today launched the European Dialogue on Modernisation

Brussels, 29 March 2012. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle today launched the European Dialogue on Modernisation with Belarusian society at a meeting in Brussels with representatives of Belarusian civil society and political opposition. This follows the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council last week welcoming the idea of launching such a dialogue with the Belarusian society.

Belarusian government appeals individual communications of Belarusian citizens at UN

The Belarusian authorities disagree with the registration of 56 individual communications of Belarusian citizens at the UN Human Rights Committee.