Emergency Resolution adopted by the EPP Congress, Marseilles (France), 7th 8th December 2011 Supporting the People

e of Belarus Being aware that the presidential election of 19th December 2010 in Belarus was overshadowed by serious irregularities on the day of voting and by the violence that erupted on election night, when over 700 persons were detained for their participation in the demonstration showing their opposition to the election results. Many of the detained have been released after serving short administrative sentences, while 24 opposition activists and journalists, including 6 presidential candidates, have been charged with organising mass disorder that resulted in imprisonment, house arrests or suspended sentences; Following closely the significant deterioration of the political situation in Belarus, which appeared immediately after the election with repressive measures undertaken by state institutions against members of the democratic opposition, the free media, civil society activists and human rights defenders; despite repeated calls from the international community to halt them immediately; Having regard to the Joint Declaration of the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit, co-signed by Belarus, stating in paragraph 1 that: 'The participants of the Prague Summit agree that the Eastern Partnership will be based on commitments to the principles of international law and to fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law and the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms'; Whereas the European Council, on 25 th October 2010, called on the Belarusian authorities to ensure that the presidential elections are conducted in line with international norms and standards for democratic elections and Belaruss commitments in the OSCE and the UN; Having regard to the joint statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton, of 23rd December 2010, on the post-election situation in Belarus; Having regard to the final report on the presidential election in Belarus published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) on 22nd February 2011; Having regard to the Joint Statement on Belarus issued by the President of the European Parliament and the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Human Rights Sub-Committee, the Delegation for Relations with Belarus and the Delegation to the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly of 12th January 2011, condemning the brutal repression of the peaceful demonstrations in Belarus of 19th December 2010; Having regard to the outcome of the 3065 th Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 31st January 2011 and to the statements issued by the High Representative, Lady Ashton, on the conviction and sentencing of a Belarusian opposition representative on 18th February 2011 and by her Spokesperson on Belarusian authorities brutal handling of silent protesters of 16th July 2011; Having regard to the European Council Decision 2011/357/CFSP amending decision 2010/639/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against certain officials of Belarus; 1

Having regard to the UN Human Rights Council resolution of 17th June 2011 condemning human rights violations before, during and after the presidential elections in Belarus and calling on the Belarusian government to end the "persecution" of opposition leaders; Having regard to the Council of Europe resolution of 22nd June 2011 on the freedom of association in the Republic of Belarus and to the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of 27th January 2011 on the situation in Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential elections; Having regard to the statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the death sentences in Belarus and the statement of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjrn Jagland, calling on Belarus not to carry out the death sentence of 1st December 2011; The EPP strongly condemns the use of brutal force by the police and KGB services against the protesters on election day and all repression undertaken afterwards by the Belarusian regime against the people of Belarus; The EPP calls on the Belarusian authorities to provide proper medical and legal assistance to those in jail and urges the Belarusian authorities to stop immediately all forms of harassment, intimidation or threats against civil society activists, as well as expulsions from universities and workplaces; The EPP urges the European Union and its member states to remain committed to strengthening engagement and cooperation with the people of Belarus, who by many means expressed clearly their wish and aspirations for democracy, respect for fundamental freedoms and the rule of law; The EPP calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately revoke all laws, which provide a basis for further intimidation and harassment of Belarusians by their own government and are violating their basic rights and freedoms, namely the laws: On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus, On State Security Bodies in the Republic of Belarus, On Political Parties, On Public Assembly, On Public Associations, Code on Administrative Offenses, On Religious Organizations, and the Criminal Code The EPP calls on the international community to freeze its financial assistance to the Belarusian regime and on the EU to halt any negotiations with the Belarusian authorities until all detained and arrested opposition leaders, human rights defenders, journalists, presidential candidates and their supporters, namely Pavel Seviarynets, Ales Bialiatski, Mikalai Autukhovich, Andrei Sannikau, Dzimtry Bandarenka, Dzmitry Us, Mikalai Statkevich, DzmitryDashkevich, Eduard Lobau, Yauhen Vaskovich, Ihar Alinevich, Aliaksandr Frantskevich, Mikalaj Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka and Pavel Syramalotau, are released, cleared off all charges and fully rehabilitated. These measures are also requested for those who have already concluded their imprisonment, as well as post mortem rehabilitation; The EPP wholeheartedly condemns all acts of terrorism and violence against innocent people. Our thoughts and support are with the victims and their families of the terrible act committed in Minsk on 11th April 2011. The EPP underlines the right of every person to an independent and fair trial including 2

independent and impartial investigation process. This has to be applied in all times and with full respect for the dignity of every human person. The European Union opposes capital punishment under all circumstances. The death penalty is considered to be a cruel and inhuman punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. Based on these values and on our commitment to human dignity the EPP demands that the sentence of capital punishment against Dzmitry Kanavalaw and Uladzislaw Kavalyow, pronounced on 30th November 2011, be revoked. The EPP is deeply concerned by the legal process applied to these young men and notes the continuing public disquiet with the investigation of the bombing on 11th April 2011 in Minsk. As of 5th December 2011 more than 50,000 signatures were collected against the execution of the two individuals convicted of terrorism. We appeal to the Belarusian authorities to allow international assistance in order to pronounce a fair final verdict for this crime. The EPP takes note of the current EU official approach of sanctioning the Belarusian authorities, whilst striving to strengthen ties with the civil society and the people in Belarus; In this respect, the EPP urges the European Union to reorientate its assistance to Belarus, in order to better facilitate people-to-people relations and to strengthen financial and technical support to the democratic opposition and civil society organisations, including those non-registered, as well as to students and independent media; The EPP considers it necessary to maintain dialogue - within clear guidelines - with representatives of the Belarusian authorities and to use all existing possibilities to exert pressure on the political elite about the need to promote democratic reforms, in order to improve the situation in Belarus. Based on the principle of subsidiarity and the right of every citizen to take part in decision making, this dialogue has to be part of a round table, with an active presence of the representatives of the Belarusian opposition, in order to exercise their natural right to decide about the future of their country. The EPP calls on the Belarusian authorities to stop their attempts to hinder legal registration of political parties and NGOs; thereby denying its citizens access to their basic civic and political rights. Namely, we noted problems with the registration of the political party, The Belarusian Christian Democracy and the NGOs Viasna, Malady Front, the Assembly of Democratic NGOs; Brestskaya Vesna; the Gomel Branch of Rukh Za Svobodu; Govori Pravdu; Young Democrats NGO; Zolotoi Lev and the registered national NGO Rukh Za Svobodu was denied registration of its branches in Minsk, Brest and Mogilev. The EPP calls on the international financial institutions, governments and businesses to take into account the provisions of this Declaration when conducting cooperation with the authorities of Belarus; The EPP confirms its support to fully include Belarus into the structures of the Eastern Partnership, including the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, as soon as parliamentary elections in Belarus are considered democratic, free and fair by the international community, including the OSCE.