The European Commissioner opened the IV Civil Society forum of the Eastern Partnership. Stefan Fule paid a lot of attention to the events, that are taking place in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program.
Also the European Commissioner told about the situation in each of the six participating states.
As for Belarus, the European official called unacceptable for the European Union the situation when there are political prisoners in custody in the country and when there are no visible moves towards the country’s democratization on the part of the Belarusian government.
At the same time the European Commissioner mentioned that Belarus remains a participant of the Eastern Partnership and Belarusian civil society has an opportunity to participate in Eastern Partnership’s programs.
There are fourteen political prisoners in Belarus today. Those who remain imprisoned are a presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich, the leader of Young Front Dzmitry Dashkevich, an entrepreneur Mikalai Autukhovich, human rights activist Ales Bialiatski and ten other opposition activists.
International community and human rights organizations demand the release of Belarusian prisoners of conscience. The European Union and the USA have introduced visa bans and economic sanctions against the dictator’s accomplices – officials and businessmen, involved in repressions and financial support of the regime, in order to achieve the release of the remaining fourteen political prisoners.
