1522nd Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (11 March 2025) EU Statement on the occasion of the day of solidarity with Belarus

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

On the occasion of the upcoming day of solidarity with Belarus (March 25th), we reiterate our steadfast support for the Belarusian people in their pursuit for a free, democratic, sovereign and independent Belarus, as part of a peaceful and prosperous Europe. We would like to thank Ms Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya for her continuous engagement and participation in our exchange today. The EU continues to support Belarusian civil society and democratic forces. 

The EU remains deeply concerned about the continuing human rights violations in Belarus, including arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment, denial of the rights to due process and to a fair trial. Over 1,250 political prisoners remain unjustly detained. We urge again the Belarusian authorities to halt their internal repression and immediately and unconditionally release and effectively rehabilitate all political prisoners. We also urge the Belarusian authorities to abolish the death penalty, and as a first step, to introduce a moratorium. The EU strongly condemns the continuing persecution and intimidation campaigns against all segments of Belarusian society, including human rights defenders, journalists, independent trade unionists, civil society representatives and persons belonging to national minorities by the Belarusian regime. 

The Contact Group for Belarus established under auspices of the Council of Europe remains an important platform for contacts with Belarusian partners. We express our appreciation for this format which is crucial for providing support to Belarusian democratic forces and civil society.

The EU’s unwavering support for the Belarusian people’s quest for a free, democratic, sovereign, and independent Belarus will continue. 

Alignments: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.