PACE to discuss situation in Belarus on January 25

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will hold a sitting during the winter session of the Assembly in Strasbourg.

According to BelaPAN news agency, PACE rapporteur on Belarus Andres Herkel is expected to present a report. The Rapporteur of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Marieluise Beck (Germany) will also read a report.

We remind that Herkel’s report and draft resolution were discussed at a meeting of the PACE Political Affairs Committee on December 15.

The Committee concluded that the EU’s sanctions on official Minsk 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.

High-level contacts with the Belarusian authorities should remain on hold until a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty has been decreed.