What changed

Follow up to the European Parliament non-legislative resolution on the situation in Belarus, five years after the fraudulent presidential elections

B100455/2025

Resolution tabled pursuant to Rules 136(2) and (4) of the European Parliament’s Rules of procedure

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Belarus, five years after the fraudulent presidential elections

References: 2025/2900(RSP) / B10-0451/2025 / P10_TA(2025)0249

(2025/2900(RSP))

Date of adoption of the resolution: 22 October 2025

The European Parliament,

Competent Parliamentary Committee: N/A

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Belarus,

Brief analysis/assessment of the resolution and requests made in it:

– having regard to the Letter of Intent on Cooperation between the European Parliament and the Belarusian Democratic Forces, signed on 3 May 2024,

The resolution reaffirms the European Parliament’s strong condemnation of the repressive policy of the Belarusian authorities and firm solidarity with all those who continue to work towards a democratic future for the country. It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and reiterates the call for the EU and the Member States to support political prisoners and their families. The resolution also calls on the EU and the Member States to continue investigating human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in Belarus and to support measures to hold perpetrators accountable.

– having regard to the Luxembourg Solutions on the challenges faced by hundreds of thousands of Belarusians in exile, adopted on 6-7 June 2024 under the auspices of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE),

The resolution calls on the EU and the Member States to continue supporting Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, students, researchers, journalists, trade union leaders, exiled professionals and others. It also calls on the EU and Member States to strengthen sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for the evasion of sanctions, the undermining of democracy and human rights violations as well as for Belarus’s participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international human rights instruments to which Belarus is a party,

Response to the requests in the resolution and overview of the action taken, or intended to be taken, by the Commission:

– having regard to the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime,

On paragraph 3 on supporting political prisoners and their families, the Commission continues to actively support victims of repression, including political prisoners and their families. The Commission welcomes the release of 123 political prisoners on 13 December 2025. Since 2020, practical and emergency assistance has been provided through the Victims Facility to over 7,500 victims of repression in the form of medical, financial, relocation, legal, rehabilitation, and psychological support. The large majority of the recently released political prisoners have received EU support via this project. The Commission’s support also extends to human rights monitoring and accountability efforts to address ongoing repressions.

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

Concerning paragraphs 4 and 8 on supporting the Belarusian democratic forces, the EU stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus and will continue to support the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in their quest for freedom and democracy. The EU maintains regular and structured dialogue with the Belarusian democratic forces, including its leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, through EEAS-led Consultative Group meetings organised twice a year since 2023, and the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) held annually since 2022. The fourth SOM edition took place on 8 October 2025 in Brussels with the participation of Ms. Tsikhanouskaya. The event brought representatives of EU institutions and the Member States together with representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces and civil society to provide an assessment of the evolving needs of the people of Belarus. The EU pledged to strengthen support for civil society, human rights and independent media.

A. whereas the sham presidential elections held in Belarus on 9 August 2020, used by Aliaksandr Lukashenka, the de facto ruler of Belarus since 1994, to prolong his authoritarian grip on the nation, were neither free nor fair, and were defined by massive fraud and the systematic denial of democratic standards; whereas the results of these fraudulent elections triggered a nationwide popular uprising for freedom and democracy, the largest anti-regime protests in the country’s history, which were brutally suppressed by the regime;

On paragraph 8 on supporting civil society, journalists, students, academics and professionals, the EU has committed a total of EUR 200 million since 2020 to support the people of Belarus in the fields of human rights, civil society, independent media, education, culture, and business. The next package of assistance of EUR 30 million announced in December 2025 will strengthen support to civil society, independent media and human rights.

B. whereas Belarus remains engulfed in a harsh climate of political repression and human rights violations under the rule of Lukashenka, who, since gaining power in 1994, has suppressed the opposition and transformed Belarus into an authoritarian state; whereas this authoritarian grip has tightened since the fraudulent 2020 presidential elections, and the regime has continued to systematically crush every form of democratic life, silence dissent and cement its totalitarian control over society; whereas since the fraudulent 2020 presidential elections, the regime has intensified its campaign of arrests and repression; whereas the Lukashenka regime launched a systematic, brutal crackdown on people protesting against the results of the fraudulent 2020 presidential elections, resulting in at least 13 500 arrests in the six days following the announcement of the election results;

Promoting human rights and civic engagement is essential to long term democratisation in Belarus. The EU remains firmly committed to supporting Belarusians working for democratic change. Since 2020, the EU has mobilised EUR 67 million in support of civil society and human rights organisations. This enables civil society organisations to continue their activities building communities, promoting the rights of vulnerable groups, and engaging citizens.

C. whereas Lukashenka, through his deliberate policy of repression and violence, is responsible for the death of numerous peaceful protesters and political prisoners as a result of brutal use of force, torture, and the denial of basic medical care in detention; whereas the victims include Vitold Ashurak, Alena Amelina, Raman Bandarenka, Valery Bohdan, Hanna Kandratsenka, Tamara Karavai, Vadzim Khrasko, Mikalai Klimovich, Aliaksandr Kulinich, Ihar Lednik, Uladzimir Krysionak, Mikita Kryucou, Andrei Padniabenny, Artsyom Parukau, Ales Pushkin, Dzmitry Sarokin, Siarhei Shchatsinka, Dzmitry Shlethauer, Valiantsin Shtermer, Dzmitry Stakhouski, Kanstantsin Shyshmakou, Aliaksandr Taraikouski and Aliaksandr Vikhor, whose deaths exemplify the regime’s contempt for human life and fundamental rights;

The EU has also mobilised EUR 38 million to support independent media since 2020. The EU’s financial assistance is directed toward a diverse range of independent media outlets and media professionals who continue to deliver quality, objective information to citizens across the country, reaching an estimated monthly audience of 2 million people. This includes a combination of core support, project-based funding and capacity to building to help to promote a diverse and dynamic independent media eco-system.

D. whereas the European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to the common goal of restoring democracy in Belarus through free and fair elections, and to strengthening Belarus’s sovereignty and independence as fundamental guarantees of its democratic future;

Human capital development also remains an integral part of the EU’s support to the people of Belarus. Scholarships and mobility opportunities are available to Belarusian students, academics, and cultural professionals, helping them to pursue education and professional growth. Through the Education for Belarusians project, students and professionals have received targeted assistance to integrate into universities and job markets in the EU, as well as opportunities for personal development, networking, and community building. Our assistance also enabled the provision of technical and legal support to hundreds of Belarusian SMEs which were forced to relocate abroad. In total, EUR 65 million has been mobilised to support Belarusian students, artists and professionals since 2020.

E. whereas at least 8 519 people have faced criminal prosecution on political grounds since 2020, and more than 100 000 cases of repression have been recorded, demonstrating the enormous scale of the Lukashenka regime’s repression and anti-democratic practices;

On paragraph 9 regarding the representation of the Belarusian democratic forces in international forums, the democratic forces and Belarusian civil society play an ongoing role in the Eastern Partnership. This regional platform allows Belarusian democratic actors to engage with their counterparts in the Eastern Neighbourhood and exchange over common challenges.

F. whereas the subsequent 2024 parliamentary and local elections, and the 2025 presidential elections, exemplified the regime’s disregard for democratic norms, with all candidates pre-approved by the authorities, opposition parties eliminated and voters denied any real choice; whereas the Lukashenka regime has fostered an atmosphere of fear and intimidation aimed at suppressing political dissent, muzzling freedom of expression and preventing peaceful assembly;

On paragraphs 15 and 16 regarding supporting the investigation of human rights abuses, the EU actively leads and supports initiatives, including in international fora, that seek justice for victims of repression and human rights violations in Belarus, as well as accountability mechanisms. The International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB) plays a crucial role in collecting and preserving evidence of human rights violations committed by the Belarusian authorities and is working to ensure that perpetrators of human rights violations are held accountable for their actions. The IAPB has made 6 evidential submissions with relevant international bodies such as the International Criminal Court to achieve this aim.

G. whereas over 1 100 individuals in Belarus remain detained for political reasons and are frequently subjected to torture and ill treatment, including prolonged isolation and denial of medical care; whereas reports indicate that new political prisoners are being arrested while negotiations concerning the release of others are taking place, amounting to the deliberate use of people as political hostages; whereas the so-called ‘release of political prisoners’ often entails their forced expulsion from Belarus without identity documents, personal belongings or legal protection; whereas Mikalai Statkevich, a prominent opposition leader, refused on 11 September 2025 to leave Belarus as part of a forced transfer of political prisoners to Lithuania, after which he disappeared and the regime has refused to disclose any information about his fate;

As regards paragraphs 21 and 22 on sanctions, the Commission recalls that the EU has adopted restrictive measures against Belarus in response to the 2020 fraudulent elections, the repression, human rights abuses, instrumentalization of migration at the EU border, and the country’s complicity in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, targeting a total of 314 individuals and 58 entities. The 19th package of sanctions against Russia adopted on 23 October 2025 also includes 5 new listings related to the Belarusian military-industrial complex and the Lukashenka regime.

H. whereas on 8 February 2023, a regional court in Grodno sentenced Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and Deputy Chair of the Union of Poles in Belarus, to eight years’ imprisonment in a hard labour penal colony; whereas Poczobut had been charged with ‘calling for actions that threaten the national security of Belarus’ and ‘inciting hostility and conflict’ after he was arrested on 25 March 2021; whereas despite suffering from hypertension and arrhythmia while in detention, Andrzej Poczobut was, according to his wife, recently moved to a high-security prison cell;

I. whereas Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent human rights defender Ales Bialiatski remains unjustly imprisoned and has been subjected to grievous mistreatment while in state custody – including the denial of essential medical care and the need for surgery performed in a prison clinic – as documented by human rights organisations and independent media; whereas the ongoing medical neglect, repeated solitary confinement, and blocking of medicine and correspondence sent by families constitute deliberate, inhumane treatment intended to break prisoners physically and morally; whereas the targeting of Bialiatski – a peaceful rights activist recognised internationally for his work documenting abuses – epitomises the Lukashenka regime’s campaign of punitive repression against civil society, designed to terrorise dissenting voices, erase independent oversight and silence the last remaining voices;

J. whereas systemic pressure on the regime, including the consistent application of effective restrictive measures such as sanctions, remains the key instrument to compel it to make concessions to the democratic world, including the release of political prisoners;

K. whereas, despite physical danger and threats to their lives, Belarusian democratic leaders in forced exile continue their tireless work for freedom and democracy;

L. whereas the Lukashenka regime uses transnational repression as a tool to persecute and intimidate Belarusian citizens living abroad, including exiled opposition figures, journalists, human rights defenders and members of the diaspora; whereas it engages in harassment, surveillance, forced repatriation attempts, and threats against relatives remaining in Belarus in order to spread fear and silence critical voices beyond its borders;

M. whereas the Lukashenka regime, from its very beginning, has been marked by the deliberate destruction of the national identity of Belarusians, including their language and culture; whereas it is pursuing an aggressive policy of Russification, through the persecution of cultural figures – including writers, artists, and musicians – and of citizens who speak Belarusian in public, as well as through the banning of the national and historical symbols of Belarus, such as the white-red-white flag and the Pahonia coat of arms, and the closure of publishing houses, private schools and Belarusian-language courses;

N. whereas the repression in Belarus extends beyond the political opposition, affecting a wide spectrum of societal groups such as independent journalists, human rights defenders, trade union leaders, national, ethnic and religious minorities, and ordinary citizens who are all facing censorship, forced exile, economic coercion and confiscation of property; whereas peaceful protests are effectively impossible across the country, with individuals facing severe persecution for expressing dissent online or in public as the regime’s actions have fostered a culture of impunity within the state apparatus, enabling widespread human rights violations without accountability;

O. whereas the Belarusian regime employs anti-extremism laws to obstruct media outlets, whereby most independent media have been labelled as ‘extremist’, with at least 45 media representatives detained, around 400 in exile and others facing harassment and mistreatment; whereas independent media, such as Belsat TV, Charter 97, Nexta, Radio Racyja, Radio Svaboda, Nasha Niva and others, play a crucial role in providing essential information and serving as a platform for democratic voices; whereas the Belarusian authorities employ surveillance, online censorship and disinformation, escalating digital authoritarianism and undermining the prospects for free and fair elections in 2025; whereas Belarusian propagandists regularly spread disinformation about EU Member States and their officials and suppress access to information;

P. whereas the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus has noted the systematic purging of civil society organisations since 2020, targeting human rights groups, independent trade unions, political parties and religious organisations;

Q. whereas the freedom of religion and belief in Belarus continues to deteriorate; whereas Belarusian clergy and believers face systematic pressure, including criminal and administrative prosecutions, raids on places of worship, and branding of independent religious initiatives as ‘extremist formations’; whereas the mandatory re-registration of all religious organisations has been systematically used as an administrative tool to restrict religious pluralism, resulting in a reduction of registered religious communities; whereas the re-registration process lacks transparency, and many communities – particularly small Protestant and Greek-Catholic parishes – have been denied recognition due to unjustified restrictions under the new Belarusian law on freedom of religion;

R. whereas the Belarusian Greek-Catholic Church has suffered particularly harsh treatment, being unable to re-register sufficient parishes to retain its legal status as a religious union, thereby losing rights guaranteed under Belarusian law; whereas several Christian clergy remain behind bars for their religious work, including Siarhei Rezanovich, Andrzej Juchniewicz, Henryk Okołotowicz, Grzegorz Gaweł and Aleh Loika;

S. whereas the regime in Minsk’s continued support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the regime’s weaponisation and instrumentalisation of illegal migration remains a significant geopolitical concern for the EU; whereas Lukashenka has accepted the Russian Federation’s permanent militarisation of Belarusian territory; whereas Lukashenka has allowed the Kremlin to exploit Belarusian territory and state institutions for its imperial ambitions, turning Belarus into a tool in Putin’s confrontation with the democratic West;

T. whereas Belarusian airspace is routinely filled with Russian drones used to carry out attacks on Ukraine, and was also used when Russian drones intentionally violated Poland’s airspace on 10 September 2025;

U. whereas the Lukashenka regime continues to orchestrate and facilitate the smuggling of migrants across its borders with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, and incites violence against European border guards, which has already resulted in the death of a Polish soldier; whereas the regime has concealed and protected those responsible for these acts;

V. whereas the clear stance of Belarusian society against the war in Ukraine has been a crucial factor preventing Belarus from being drawn further into the conflict;

W. whereas in September 2025, the Lukashenka regime once again joined Russia for the ‘Zapad 2025’ joint military exercises, posing a clear threat to EU and NATO members along the alliance’s eastern flank;

X. whereas any form of dialogue or contact with representatives of the Lukashenka regime is systematically exploited for propaganda purposes and falsely presented as a sign of international recognition;

1. Rejects the legitimacy of the presidential elections in Belarus in 2020 and in 2025, which it regards as a sham designed to consolidate Lukashenka’s dictatorship, and refuses to acknowledge Lukashenka’s legitimacy as president; confirms that widespread evidence and numerous testimonies indicate that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus; whereas the Lukashenka regime unlawfully seized and retained power by refusing to acknowledge her victory;

2. Reaffirms that the EU must maintain and, where necessary, strengthen its restrictive measures, including targeted sanctions and political pressure, until the Lukashenka regime fulfils its international human rights obligations, halts all forms of repression, ceases complicity in the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its hybrid warfare against neighbouring states, and supports effective international accountability mechanisms for war crimes and crimes against humanity; strongly condemns the Lukashenka regime’s weaponisation of migration as a tool to destabilise neighbouring EU Member States, as this is a deliberate tactic of orchestrating irregular migration flows that violates human rights, exploits vulnerable individuals for political purposes and undermines regional stability;

3. Demands an immediate end to the ongoing campaign of repression, intimidation, and persecution against Belarusian citizens exercising their fundamental rights, and calls for the urgent and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus, without their forced deportation from the country; commends the efforts of the international community in facilitating previous releases of political prisoners in Belarus; demands the full cessation of all forms of political persecution, torture and arbitrary detention, and insists that no individual should be used as a bargaining chip in political negotiations;

4. Welcomes Lithuania’s decision to refer the situation in Belarus to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) under case number ICC-01/24, in order to initiate an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by the authoritarian Lukashenka regime, and calls on other democratic states to support this initiative and to contribute in every possible way, including through the exercise of universal jurisdiction, to ensuring accountability for those responsible for systematic repression, torture and politically motivated killings;

5. Condemns the unjust sentence handed down to Andrzej Poczobut by a court controlled by Lukashenka’s regime; condemns the ill treatment of Andrzej Poczobut and calls for his immediate and unconditional release;

6. Expresses grave concern about the disappearance of Mikalai Statkevich and demands that the authorities disclose his whereabouts and guarantee his safety;

7. Supports Poland’s demands for the handover of the murderers of Mateusz Sitek, a Polish soldier killed on Poland’s border with Belarus in May 2024;

8. Notes with profound alarm that the scale of persecution and repression under the Lukashenka regime has reached levels comparable to, and in some respects exceeding, those of the Stalinist period, resulting in the effective eradication of freedom of expression and thought; recalls that, precisely because of this extreme assault on basic liberties, the Union must urgently and substantially step up support for independent Belarusian media; stands in full solidarity with persecuted journalists, bloggers and private individuals imprisoned for exercising their right to free speech, and remembers in particular Katsyaryna Andreeva, the courageous Belsat journalist, who – together with her husband – has been detained and targeted by the regime;

9. Condemns the practice of forced deportations of released prisoners and stresses that Belarusians must have the right to remain and live safely in their own country; rejects the false narrative promoted by regime lobbyists that ‘repressions are ending’ or that ‘the regime is ready for dialogue,’ and considers such messages to be part of a disinformation campaign designed to weaken European unity;

10. Warns that any political engagement with the Lukashenka regime serves only to legitimise its rule and to strengthen its propaganda machine;

11. Condemns the persecution of the Polish minority in Belarus and its representatives, including decisions aiming to shut down Polish schools and eliminate education in the Polish language, as well as the deliberate destruction of Polish cemeteries and heritage;

12. Commends the continuing close cooperation between the EU institutions and Member States and the Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, and international partners in support of a peaceful transition based on democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights;

13. Calls for enhanced assistance to strengthen the capacity-building of key democratic structures, including the Office of the Elected President Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the United Transitional Cabinet, the Coordination Council, and all democratic political parties, in order to unlock their potential as credible alternative institutions capable of assuming leadership during a future transition;

14. Urges the Member States of the EU to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of members of the Belarusian democratic institutional structures and to enhance their international representation and legitimacy – namely, the Elected President Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her Office, the United Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordination Council – by granting them appropriate legal status and recognition;

15. Condemns the misuse of the re-registration process to suppress independent religious life in Belarus and the ongoing persecution of clergy and believers; calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately halt the dissolution of communities that have not been re-registered, to ensure transparent criteria for registration, and to reinstate the legal status of all religious organisations unjustly denied recognition;

16. Encourages the Commission and the Member States to continue consultative work with the Belarusian democratic forces in preparing the conceptual, legislative, and human rights framework for Belarus’s future transition to democracy in line with European Union standards;

17. Reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the people of Belarus and their rightful aspirations for a democratic and European future;

18. Calls on European Union institutions and international organisations to formalise the representation of the Belarusian democratic opposition in the relevant multilateral forums such as the EuroNest Parliamentary Assembly, PACE, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization;

19. Prioritises support for Belarusian diaspora communities as key hubs of resilience and advocacy, in the sense and spirit of the Luxembourg Solutions initiated under PACE, including creating better opportunities for the mobility of Belarusians through improved visa procedures, safe border crossings, and the regularisation of their legal status in European Union countries;

20. Requests increased funding for education, cultural identity projects and advocacy initiatives that preserve the Belarusian language, culture and national identity in the face of repression, while countering the Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation abroad; condemns the forced Russification of Belarusian culture and history, including the systematic exclusion of the Belarusian language from schools and public spaces; calls on the EU to support independent Belarusian cultural organisations such as theatres, choirs, schools, folk groups and artists; commits to increasing its communication in Belarusian, notably by translating its reports and resolutions on Belarus and Eastern Partnership policies into the language, and calls on the other EU institutions to follow suit;

21. Considers that a comprehensive strategy towards Belarus that simultaneously empowers the country’s democratic transition and constrains the Russian Federation’s military use of its territory is an integral part of the European Union’s long-term values-based security strategy, which is essential to preserving the EU’s credibility as a defender of a democratic Belarus;

22. Strongly condemns Belarus’s involvement in Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine; condemns the renewed deployment of Russian armed forces in Belarus, and the belligerent and threat-based rhetoric of Belarusian officials towards Ukraine; recognises that Lukashenka and his regime have become accomplices in the crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, including the crime of aggression; expresses full support for the investigations launched by Ukrainian prosecutors into the role of Belarus in the forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians and children, and considers that the actions of Lukashenka and his regime – including their participation in the deportation or forcible transfer of population – may constitute crimes against humanity and possibly genocide under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC); considers Lukashenka personally responsible for these war crimes alongside Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, and therefore calls on the ICC to consider issuing a similar international arrest warrant for Lukashenka; calls on the Council to expand the list of individuals targeted by EU sanctions to include those involved in the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Belarus; notes that Lukashenka and his associates share responsibility for the war crimes committed in Ukraine and must be held accountable before both an international tribunal and the ICC;

23. Expresses concern over the alleged use of the forced labour of inmates in Belarusian penal colonies by suppliers to major EU-based companies; calls on all EU-based companies to exercise particular diligence and terminate their relations with any Belarusian suppliers that use forced labour in their supply chains, suppress the civil and political rights of their employees or openly support the violent regime; calls on the Council to impose sanctions on any Belarusian or international companies operating in Belarus that use forced labour in their supply chains, suppress the civil and political rights of their employees or openly support the violent regime; urges the Lukashenka regime to end its practice of imposing forced labour in penal colonies;

24. Calls on the EU institutions to strengthen the transparency and oversight of EU funds allocated to support independent Belarusian media, and to ensure that these resources are directed towards genuine needs aimed at improving their quality, resilience, and capacity to function sustainably, without unnecessary intermediaries; calls for particular support to be provided to credible, long-established Belarusian media outlets currently operating from European territory that have not yet benefited from EU funding, despite their proven contribution to democratic values and freedom of speech, such as Radio Racyja and Charter97, which serve as the primary refuge for journalists deprived of their jobs and forced into exile, and from which Belarusians expect independent and reliable information about the situation in their country, but which currently face an extremely difficult financial situation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that such assistance is systemic, sustained and multi-year, and to create dedicated mechanisms enabling direct, rapid and accountable support to trusted Belarusian media actors;

25. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the authorities of the Republic of Belarus.