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Deteriorating situation of political prisoners in Belarus, in particular the case of Aliaksandra Pulinovich

TA-10-2026-0224 · P10_TA(2026)0224 · PE783.351

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Parliament's resolution demands the immediate release of Aliaksandra Pulinovich and all political prisoners in Belarus, their rehabilitation and the restoration of their rights. It condemns the misuse of anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws against young people and peaceful dissent, and calls for the abolition of the terrorists and extremists lists. It condemns Article 411 of the Criminal Code as a tool of political persecution, calls for its repeal, and demands the release of those convicted under it. It says releasing all political prisoners and ending repression are preconditions for political dialogue and economic cooperation, and demands an end to forced deportations of released prisoners and repression of their relatives. It urges the EU, member states and international partners to intensify efforts to secure releases, and calls on the Council to broaden and enforce targeted sanctions. It calls for documenting crimes of the Lukashenka regime and further accountability through international mechanisms, including Lithuania's ICC referral and national proceedings.

Key points

  1. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Pulinovich and all political prisoners, their full rehabilitation and the restoration of their rights.
  2. Urges the Belarusian authorities to end ill-treatment, incommunicado detention, denial of medical care and access to lawyers and family, and forced labour, and to investigate deaths in custody and torture allegations.
  3. Condemns politically motivated prosecution of Belarusians, especially minors such as Pulinovich, and the misuse of anti-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation to criminalise anti-war expression and youth dissent.
  4. Calls for the abolition of the terrorists and extremists lists and urges the Belarusian authorities to comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  5. Condemns the systematic misuse of Article 411 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, calls for its immediate repeal, and demands the release and full legal rehabilitation of all persons convicted under it.
  6. Expresses deep concern for the approximately 50 political prisoners still imprisoned under Article 411 whose lives and health are at serious risk.
  7. Acknowledges US efforts to secure releases but says releases are motivated by the regime's economic survival and are not accompanied by political transformation justifying normalisation.
  8. Insists that releasing all political prisoners and ending repression remain preconditions for political dialogue and economic cooperation, and demands an end to forced deportation of released prisoners and repression of their relatives.
  9. Urges the EU, member states and international partners to intensify efforts to secure releases, including summoning the regime's ambassadors, monitoring cases, granting humanitarian visas, and providing rehabilitation and financial support.
  10. Calls on the Council to broaden, strengthen and strictly enforce targeted sanctions against all persons and entities responsible for politically motivated prosecutions, repression and torture.
  11. Calls for EU and member state support for documenting crimes of the Lukashenka regime, including at UN level, and for accountability through international mechanisms such as Lithuania's ICC referral and national proceedings.

Who is affected

  • Aliaksandra Pulinovich, detained at 16 and sentenced to over 10 years, whom Parliament demands be released and rehabilitated.
  • All political prisoners in Belarus, including 853 arbitrarily detained and approximately 50 imprisoned under Article 411.
  • The Belarusian authorities, urged to end repression, ill-treatment and misuse of anti-terrorism legislation, and to repeal Article 411.
  • The Council, called on to broaden and enforce targeted sanctions.
  • The EU, its member states and international partners, urged to intensify efforts to secure releases and support accountability.

Figures and deadlines

  • 16-year-old, the age at which Aliaksandra Pulinovich was detained in January 2024.
  • over 10 years' imprisonment, the sentence given to Pulinovich in closed proceedings.
  • 853 political prisoners remain arbitrarily detained in inhumane conditions.
  • more than 80 political prisoners have been convicted under Article 411 since 2020.
  • approximately 50 political prisoners remain imprisoned under Article 411.