JOINT STATEMENT BY THE MEMBERS OF THE

on the 2020 Sakharov Prize award to the democratic opposition in Belarus and the continued imprisonment of its laureates along with over 150 political prisoners in Belarus

Brussels, 16 December 2020 - “Today we welcome the laureates of the 2020 Sakharov Prize at the European Parliament. It is a great honour to host the representatives of Belarusian society, which since the fraudulent presidential elections of 9 August 2020, has been peacefully demanding its right to free and fair elections. The list of laureates includes the members of democratic political opposition, human rights defenders, representative of workers, social media activists and Belarusian intellectuals. All these people, including their family members, were exposed to intimidation, harassment and persecution by Lukashenka’s regime. Majority had to flee Belarus and seek refuge in neighbouring the EU Member States. Three of nominees - Mikola Statkevich, Siarhei Tsikhanouski and Maryia Kalesnikava - remain imprisoned along with over 150 political prisoners in Belarus.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence of Lukashenka’s regime against the Belarusian people. We demand an immediate and full cease of all forms of violence, ill-treatment, and torture against Belarusian citizens and detainees. We call for an immediate and unconditional release of the 2020 Sakharov Prize laureates Mikola Statkevich, Siarhei Tsikhanouski and Maryia Kalesnikava, all other political prisoners and persons arbitrarily detained for participating in protests against the election results or against violence used by the authorities, or for expressing support for these protests. We call upon the Belarusian authorities, the police and special security forces to follow their duty to serve to the Belarusian people.

Our deepest admiration and support go to the Belarusian people for their perseverance and fight for a democratic choice in Belarus, which is the basis of any democracy. We are committed to ensure that the EU does everything in its power, including the use of political pressure and the newly approved the European human rights sanctions mechanism, to resolve the crisis in Belarus, facilitate a national dialogue for organizing free and fair elections, achieve the halt of violence against peaceful demonstrators and release of all political prisoners. We stand in solidarity with Belarusian people for their courageous fight for sovereign and democratic Belarus. Today we proudly pronounce: Zhyve Belarus!”

Petras Auštrevičius, , Lithuania , Renew Europe, Robert Biedroń, S&D, Dietmar Köster, S&D, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Greens/EFA, Germany , Renew Europe, , ECR, Poland , S&D, Austria , EPP, Lithuania Liudas Mažylis, EPP, Lithuania Raphaël Glucksmann, S&D, France , Renew Europe, Belgium , Greens/EFA, Germany Aušra Maldeikienė, EPP, Lithuania , ECR, Italy , Greens/EFA, Germany Frédérique Ries, Renew Europe, Belgium Miriam Lexmann, EPP, Slovakia Radosław Sikorski, EPP, Poland Klemen Grošelj, Renew Europe, Slovenia , S&D, Lithuania Andrzej Witold Halicki, EPP, Poland Sophie in't Veld, Renew Europe, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Renew Europe, Germany , EPP, Romania , EPP, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Renew Europe, Romania , NA, Italy , S&D, Poland Roberts Zīle, ECR, Latvia I Giner, Greens/EFA, Spain Ondřej Kovařík, Renew Europe, Czechia , EPP, Latvia , EPP, Italy Nikolaj Villumsen, GUE, Denmark , Renew Europe, Sweden Luděk Niedermayer, EPP, Czechia Günther Sidl, S&D, Austria Juan Fernando López Aguilar, S&D, Spain , Renew Europe, Netherlands , EPP, Poland Rosa D´Amato, Greens/EFA, Italy Attila Ara-Kovács, S&D, Hungary , Renew Europe, Slovenia , EPP, Poland Martin Häusling, Greens/EFA, Germany Abir Al-Sahlani, Renew Europe, Sweden , EPP, Poland , ECR, Belgium , Renew Europe, Netherlands Leopoldo López Gil, EPP, Spain , EPP, Sweden Łukasz Kohut, S&D, Poland , S&D, Austria , EPP, Sweden , Greens/EFA, France Dace Melbārde, ECR, Latvia Dragoș Pîslaru, Renew Europe, Romania Michal Šimečka, Renew Europe, Slovakia Barry Andrews, Renew Europe, Ireland Ryszard Antoni Legutko, ECR, Poland Isabel Wiseler-Lima, EPP, Jordi Solé, Greens/EFA, Spain , EPP, Austria , S&D, Austria , ECR, Sweden Rasa Juknevičienė, EPP, Lithuania , Renew Europe, Spain Vlad Gheorghe, Renew Europe, Romania Ciarán Cuffe, Greens/EFA, Ireland , ID, Italy Petros Kokkalis, GUE, Greece , EPP, Germany , S&D, Sweden Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, Greens/EFA, France , Renew Europe, France , EPP, , EPP, , S&D, Austria , Renew Europe, France , EPP, Finland Bronis Ropė, Greens/EFA, Lithuania Alviina Alametsä, Greens/EFA, Finland , Renew Europe, Netherlands Jadwiga Wiśniewska, ECR, Poland , Greens/EFA, Germany , Greens/EFA, Germany